Magic Knight Rayearth III
by Lady-Umi
Summary: It's been a few years, and now Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru are all seventeen. They are going their seperate ways soon, and are thinking about Cephiro more than ever. After MKR2,a new section of the ever-continueing legend.Couples:Clef/Umi,Hikaru/Lantis,Fuu/Ferio
1. The Prologue

Authors Notes: 

Okee... Im only gonna put this on the first chapter, but it stands true for all of them ^_^ I do not own MKR or claim to have any part in the making of it, Because if I did.... This would be playing on TV instead of being posted up here.   
Other than that, I appreciate constructive criticism as well, IF it isn't for spelling ;p I cant help my pitiful soul in that category.   
Oh and two other things. First of all, This is my very first MKR fanfiction, though the idea has been here for a while, so try not to flame too much, even if it is a pathetic attempt. And Second, I am a HUGE Umi/Clef supporter, and she will tend to be the viewpoint during this story sometimes, but however, this story focuses on ALL of the characters, but I'm just saying this as a warning to Umi/Clef supporters. They are very good friends in this story, though. So don't run off so soon :)   
Okee... Thats enough for now ^.^ THE MORE REVIEWS, THE MORE CHAPTERS, THE MORE QUICKER. ^-~   
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The Prologue; Introduction   
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Much time has passed since the Magic Knights left the magical world they was first summoned to by Princess Emeraude, Cephiro, and now Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji are seventeen. Closing in on graduation, Memories are also becoming harder to avoid, as the girls will soon be going on their own separate paths, as they made a promise long ago that they would never do. Though they long to return to Cephiro, and have tried many times, they were all in vain. They miss the lives and loves in Cephiro with such a force that is even unhealthy, as Umi Fuu and Hikaru found out for themselves. With Graduation a month away, they are trying their best to slow time down and spend all the time together they can. The girls long more than ever to go to the land of will so that they can remain together forever. By ill fate, Each of the girl's parents have died, and now they are beginning to suffer from their own depression, even though they battle hard against it. Will they find the strength and will power to return to Cephiro from Earth without being summond, And why is it that the doors to Cephiro are sealed anyhow? 


	2. Graduation Woes and Memory Lane

  


Authors Notes:   
Woo! The First real chapter, Note that the prologue, introduction thing was short because it was.. well.. Just that ^_^'' This will be much longer, as it is a real chapter. But, No flames if chapters are shorter than one another... Writers block is very common in this brain of mine. Anyhow, READ AND REVIEW OR ELSE!... I'll sick Rayearth, Selece, and Windam on you... so >:P   


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Graduation Woes and Memory Lane   


Hikaru looked down at her feet as she silently walked through the halls to her locker. She frowned. Everyone was so happy about Graduation from the high school, She couldn't stand it! Weren't they going to miss their friends?! Hikaru slammed her locker, not completely on purpose.   
  
"You're just peppy today, aren't you?" Umi interrupted her thoughts, and Hikaru turned to see her and Fuu looking at her worriedly.   
  
"Sorry, Long day" Hikaru said, laughing in her usual happy way. Anyone else would have thought her to be a normal, happy girl, but Umi and Fuu knew the difference from the mask she always carried with her and the real laugh---the one that used to light up the room and sweep away the sorrows.   
  
"I've had a long day too, Hikaru-chan. You dont need to apologize" Fuu smiled, her usual comforting way.   
  
"Arigotou" Hikaru smiled back, genuine this time. She swung her backpack over her right shoulder and smiled at her two friends. Her two very best friends, she corrected herself. She skipped ahead of them slightly, and they followed her as usual. They exited the school building in silence, and started on their ways home together.   
  
"Everyone seems so happy to be leaving and graduating! I just cant take listening to it anymore. It's driving me crazy!" Umi shook her head in frustration as she saw a group of giggling girls walk past. Hikaru nodded in agreement and Fuu sighed to herself. a cherry blossem fell from the tree and landed on Hikaru's nose. She smiled. Atleast not all beauty was lost in the past few months. 

"Oh! I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Hikaru waved as they seperated to go to their own separate homes. Umi,Fuu, and Hikaru waved goodbye to eachother and walked the rest of the way to their houses by themselves, not taking notice of anyone on the streets..   
  
----   
"Anything wrong sweetie?" Umi's aunt asked. She shook her head and smiled. Her Aunt had taken her in and she was more of a mother than Umi's own mother had been, though she would never forget or love her mother any less.   
  
"Everything's fine!" Umi said reassuringly as she climbed the stairs to her room, sitting her backpack down beside the stairs. She opened the door to her room and walked in, slipping her shoes off and walking across to sit on the soft velvety bed. Glancing over her shoulder at the mirror, She noticed, not for the first time, how much Hikaru, Fuu, and herself had changed over the few years, and how much they were still the same. In herself, she saw the same tall model-like blue haired student she had been long ago, only slightly taller and shapely, and her hair was a softer blue now, still reaching slightly past her waste. Hikaru and Fuu were still similar in appearances also. Fuu and Hikaru had also gotten more shapely and woman like, and Fuu's hair was still blonde and curly, only the slightest bit longer than before, and Hikaru's hair was a softer pink, but still braided into the infamous braid behind her back. Still short though, compared to Umi and Fuu.   
Her smile faded. They hadn't changed much, Cephiro would recognize them.... That's for sure... If they could go back again, that is. And that seemed impossible. Gazing up at the ceiling, She also noted the great changes in all of them. Hikaru was still striving to be her happy self, but the difference was that it used to be natural, genuine... Now she worked for it, so that Umi and Fuu wouldn't have to have so many worries on their shoulders. All three of them had tried so many times to go back to Cephiro, and they had given up hope a year ago. They had, unknown to eachother, cried themselves to sleep every night, and now ate very little. Umi practiced Fencing more fiercely than ever, as though she was afraid the last of her memories of fighting in Cephiro would just disappear. They flew from their friend's gaze or hid their faces whenever a story from their books might be read about different worlds and otherworldly travels and adventures, and they no longer could bear talking about Cephiro. Yes, they had changed much... Yet the biggest change was yet to come.   
Umi stared up at her ceiling. Her friends were moving away, far far away. Her last connection to Cephiro, One of the only reasons she woke up every day and just didn't keep sleeping forever... was leaving her soon. A month. A month was all they had to say goodbye to eachother after going through adventure after adventure, battling for Cephiro, sharing their loves... their lives... and saving a world. If only our parents could have known... if only everyone else knew... They would never be torn apart. But they didnt, and if Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi had told them, they would've been sent to the school counselors within moments, or better yet to a doctor.   
She sighed softly and looked at the ground. She fell back onto the bed and curled up against the cold, tears rolling down her cheeks. She didnt feel like food or sheltering herself... she felt sick. That horrible, indescribable feeling of the sickness of depression. She missed Cephiro... and she missed the people she loved....... The people she---No--- They, the Magic Knights, had saved.   
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Fuu frowned and she slipped herself into her bedclothes and laid down on her soft bed, curling up within the folds of sheets. She felt especially sad today, and her mind was refusing to rest, even when it craved it. She missed Ferio. She missed Lantis, Clef, Presea, She missed Cephiro. Everyone. All the people she had sword to protect and save at the beginning of her journey--- and now, she had fulfilled her swear... but who was to protect her? She gazed out the window at the sky. Her mind and soul was restless, longing for the one thing it craved. She closed her eyes, but did not sleep for a long time, tears rolling down her cheeks and soiling the pillow beneath her head.   
--   
Hikaru sighed to herself and laid down in her bed, her gaze resting upon her ceiling, and her mind restless. She knew that her friends missed Cephiro badly, and she herself missed it too. She missed Lantis most of all, but she missed -everyone-, she would rather die a thousand times than to live once without going to Cephiro but--- still she longed for it, as much as her friends. She knew it was just a silly thing to think about They had tried so hard, nothing had ever happened though when they made their futile attempts to return to Cephiro. What was going to become of them. Their whole lives, they would just keep thinking about how regretful they were for getting separated for eachother, and the people they lost long ago, somewhere down Memory lane....   
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Indeed, This was a shortie, but it had to be. The next chapter... Dah x_x Dont wanna spoil it. But I suggest NOT missing out on it... It's going to be a good one. And guess what? When I get 2 reviews, I'll go ahead and continue. Until then, Muhaha... Enjoy you wondering. SO READ AND REVIEW!   
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	3. A Suicide Plan or a Breakthrough?

  


Authors Notes: So I did this chapter after some careful planning. Did it turn out right???? Suggestions, comments, questions, all of that good stuff... You know what to do. READ AND REVIEW, Ofcourse! ^.~   
Oh, By the way.... This chap takes place exactly 24 hours after the last one, meaning its the next NIGHT. So they're getting in bed and going to sleep now ^_^ Okee, buh bye. Hope you like.   
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A Suicide Plan or a Breakthrough?   
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Fuu gave up on her willing herself to Cephiro and fell into the land of sleep, but for the first time in a long time... she felt a twinge of something similar to magic, but she shook it off and let herself be taken away into nightmares or dreams, whichever one she was fated for that night.   
--   
Hikaru's eyes snapped open. Wait--did she have eyes? She felt so--- strange.... as though she wasnt there at all, but she could see everything going on. She saw crystal mountains in the sky, and far away there was a beautiful castle. The grasses were green and flowers was everywhere, nothing evil in sight. But for some reason the feeling she had in her stomach wasnt one anything close to being calme or happy... It was a weary, worried, and scared feeling that came from the core of her heard and rose up through her throat. Suddenly, a flash of red..   
--   
Umi's eyes snapped open. She was standing in the center of the purist, most beautiful waters she had ever seen. She could see the shoreline... and a castle, a beautiful castle that towerd high above everything, and mountains filled with shimmering grass and flowers. She almost smiled, but it began to rain. She was going to run across the water, but she felt as though she couldnt move. She shook her head and looked down to see why, and willed herself with all her might to scream, but was shocked speachless. Blood. Everywhere... Was it coming from her? No... it was the sky. It was raining the red liquid into the ocean. She didnt feel any more calmed. She started to run, but the blood gave away into liquid, no longer being water, and no longer supported her standing on it. She fell into the bloody water and tried her best to swim upwards but she could... Blood filled her lungs, her heart, her chest... it was everywhere... 

Umi shot up in her bed, sweat trickling down her pale face, and her eyes wide. She shakily climbed out of her bed. Something was very wrong... Her legs were wobly beneath her, and she barely made it to her closet. She intended to find out what.   
-- 

Hikaru and Fuu stood talking to eachother, Hikaru jumping up and down trying to tell Fuu something, probably.   
"Don't worry, Nothing's wrong. It's just a coincidence, that's all. We shouldn't have came here this late, we should go home and get back in our beds... where we belong." Fuu sighed softly, trying to convince herself as well as Hikaru. Hikaru was far beyond convincing though, she wouldn't rest. They'd be up here all night. 

"Fuu-chan, Look!" Hikaru said, pointing at Umi as she walked quietly into their view. She bounced off and clinged to Umi in a tight hug. 

"Hikaru-chan? Fuu-chan? What's going on?" Umi looked puzzled, first at Fuu, then to Hikaru, and then back to Fuu. 

"We had a bad dream about Cephiro and we both came here! It was so scary!" Hikaru exclaimed, jumping up and down like the 14 year old she used to be. 

"That's strange... I had a dream too... Blood falling from the sky, it was everywhere...." Umi quietly whisperd. Fuu blinked in confusion and Hikaru nodded vigiorously. 

"That's it! It was everywhere! Maybe Cephiro is in some sort of trouble?" Hikaru looked at me with a huge, child like expression on her face while Fuu chewed her lip in consideration. I turned abruptly from them and walked to the edge of the Tokyo tower. 

"Even if it was... We can't do anything about it now. They locked us out, remember?" Fuu sighed softly and Hikaru's spirit fell greatly, and she also sighed. 

"We could always try again..." Hikaru mummbled, but Fuu shook her head. She couldn't take the disapointment and saddness one more time. 

"Hikaru-Chan.. Fuu-chan.... Remember the first time we went to Cephiro? We fell, straight through Tokyo Tower, and then we were wisked away to Cephiro." Umi began. Both of them nodded. "Well maybe that's all we have to do.... I mean, Fall again... Maybe if we do, Cephiro would open up." 

"It's a nice thought, but we couldn't risk it... If it didn't..." Fuu began.   
"And if it did, We would be able to find out what caused the dream, You and Hikaru would see Ferio and Lantis again, and we'd be back in Cephiro." Umi frowned. 

"Well... Clef did say that our wills were the strongest in Cephiro... Maybe if we try it... And we dont try to force ourselves to do anything, just let it come on its own... Maybe the right words would come and we could pass through..." Hikaru looked happy again, and Umi nodded in agreement. Fuu wasn't convinced at all. 

"What do we have to lose?" Umi said flatly. She hated to put it that way after she saw the look on Fuu's face, but atleast it beat her into submission. Fuu only nodded. 

"On one condition... We try the second idea first---without the falling part." Fuu laughed, and so did Umi and Hikaru. They nodded in agreement. 

"Okay!" Hikaru said, hopping up beside Fuu and grabbing her hand in enthusiasm. Umi stepped up and they formed a circle, more or less, hold eachothers hands. Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu all closed their eyes, one by one their heads tilted slightly up, and Umi felt something different than normal---something almost magical, as words began to form in their mouths. Not really words, Sensless phrases. Like broken bits of a prayer, but they bounced off the walls and echoed all around them, like whispers. Hikaru felt a warmth come from the center of her chest. Suddenly, Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu felt no ground up under them. Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi snapped their eyes open. The ground and tower were still there, they were just falling through it... And head first, to top that off. 

"Okay, We're falling! Any minute now!" Umi yelled in fear as they plumeted twords the ground of Tokyo Tower. 

"We cant break through, They have really sealed us out!" Fuu yelled over the wind. 

"Well unless we wanna be a pancake for someone's breakfest in the morning, We Better think of something QUICK! Hikaru yelled. Only a little ways now twords the ground... Umi started the broken bits of the prayer again. She let her emotions guide her this time though, She wanted to go back to Cephiro more than anything... to see everyone... To see it again... She wanted to help the people and become their friend again... Hikaru and Fuu also spoke with their feelings. They opend their eyes slightly to see Tokyo's ground. Before they could scream, they fell right through it and into something far different than they had ever been in before...   
What they had fallen into, Was something Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu could have never predicted. As soon as they did though, The immediant reaction was shock, and they felt something else... an incredible, unbearable pain. Not like physical pain, but a pain that came from their very core, burning its way through them, through their bodies... 

"What is this?!" Umi mangaged to yell over the incredible screeching noise they heard from the rate of their fast desent.   
"I think---" Hikaru had to pause to tighten her grasp on Umi and Fuu's hands. Something was attempting to pull them apart with alarming strength.   
"I think it may be because we came here uninvited.. er... Unsummoned!" Hikaru shouted. The noise was getting louder now. Umi started to reply, but stopped dead in her thoughts when something snatched her hand from Fuu and Hikaru, and they were torn apart violently. The last thing Umi heard was Hikaru and Fuu screaming, but that too faded out as the noise became so loud she could no longer think. The last thing she saw was a brilliant flash of light and then just a bright blue sky all around her..   
"Cephiro...." She mangaged to think before her eyes closed and her mind and conciousness was lost to her.   
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Woo.. Done already. Okay, now let me say something before the next chapter. It's an all around story, meaning that it sometimes will focus on one person, and it might lean that way, but all three girls will be in it, and have equal parts in the story. This story will have Umi/Clef, Hikaru/Lantis, and ofcourse, certainly not least, Fuu/Ferio fluffs in it. It's not a purely romance fiction though, lotsa action. So dont count it off before you read the whole thing :) Im far from done ^_^   



	4. The Return: Where is Everyone?!?!

Authors Notes: Hidey-ho again ^_^ Well, Im proud to say I got this chapter done. It took some thinking. Where are those long chapters I've been promising? Well, right now I'm going to write short ones until things get rolling, they get into Cephiro and all that good stuff. So this chapter should be pretty lengthy. I'm spacing out where the characters are talking. I think it's easier to read. Does everyone agree or should I just typ normal? Opinions please.... and more than anything... READ AND REVIEW! 

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The Return: Where is Everyone?!?!   
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Umi fell from the sky at an alarming speed, except this time there was no flying creatures to break her fall. She plumeted headfirst twords the forest below, unable to do anything about it, not even aware of it.   
--   
"Look Mommy!!" From the village, a little girl pointed twords the sky an the falling figure. Several of the Villagers stopped to gaze at the thing that was falling.   
  
"What is it?!" one man said.   
--   
As she fell, She unconciously heard a voice in the back of her head, a voice she thought belonged to her long lost guardian... Selece. A silvery blue aura surrounded her, and ribbons of water circled her body, and went into her back. Wings of water formed, and then turned into solid, soft blue wings. Still unconcious, the wings worked on their own and she gently floated twords the forest ground using their help. Slowly she lowerd past all of the trees and was sat gently at the bottem of a huge tree that towered far above her. The wings slowly formed back into water and then completely disapeared, and she was left there.   
-- 

She didnt know when or how, the hours after her falling were spent in blurs. At one point she had felt strong arms around her though, picking her up and carrying her somewhere. She wanted to open her eyes to know what was happening, to know who was helping here---if they were. But all her efforts to open them were in vain, so she gave herself up to the darkness.   
--   
"Is she gonna be okay, Momma?" A little girl tugged at her mother's skirt. Her mother gazed down at her with soft eyes.   
"I don't know, Sweetie... She fell a long ways, and we're not sure how she fell in the first place. She might even be a sorceress..."   
"She doesn't look like a sorceress..." The little girl wrinkled her nose and ran over to the sleeping figure on the bed before her mother could stop her, standing on her tip toes to look at the unconcious figure.   
"Mmmm...." The girl on the bed moaned and rolled over, putting her hand over her forhead as she did so.   
"Look mommy! She's waking!" The girl hopped up on the bed and shook the girls shoulder gently.   
"Sha, Don't!" the mother swung the girl up off of the bed and put her down on the floor, before backing up herself.   
Slowly, the girl opend her eyes, the people and secenery before her a big blurr, and nothing else. She gazed blankly at them, not being able to focus her eyes.   
"Are you... Alright...?" The girl asked hopefully as her mother held her by the shoulders.   
"Who... who are you....?" she asked, her eyes beggining to focus better. She now saw her saviors, a small girl and her mother.   
"I'm Sha. You fell... from the sky... and Terri brought to back here. You've been out for two days, We weren't sure you was gonna be okay." Sha said from her Protective mother's arms.   
  
"Yes... We're glad you're finaly awake.. Somehow, you didn't break any bones, but you did manage to sprain your wrist somehow or another. I am Katherine, Kathy if you wish it." Her mother, Katherine smiled softly, but her voice was filled with caution.   
She struggled to sit up as a handsom young man entered the room, just sitting up caused a trickle of sweat to roll down her forehead.   
  
"This is my big brother, Terri... He saved you and brought you back here. He thinks your pretty, he said." The little girl said ,recieving a slight kick from Terri. She forced a smile against her will. They did save her, after all.. Her thoughts were interupted though, when three more men walked into the room.   
  
"This is the chief of our village, and two of the men from our village... We saw you fall from the sky... And we wondered... How, and where did you come from?" Terri looked at her, the question was polite, but it was also serious. Umi knew this and she smiled lightly.   
  
"My name is Umi Ryuuzaki. Thank you for helping me" Umi struggled through her sentence before looking up to meet the shocked eyes in the room. Immediantly, whispers started and the girl looked with awe at Umi.   
"You mean... You're the magic knight of water........?" The girl asked with big eyes. Umi nodded to the best of her abilities.   
"I am" She said simply.   
"Wow! Where'd you come from then???" The girl asked, hopping up on her bedside. No one stopped her, the men were to shocked, and the woman was just pondering the thought.   
"From Earth..." Umi saw the puzzled looks on everyone's face and continued, "My home world... I came here from my own world, and well... I didnt exactly apear where I wanted to, or get here the way I wanted to for that matter"   
"Is that why you fell from the sky?" The little girl giggled. Umi imagined the giggle was because, probably, everyone thought of the magic knights as some powerful, unrivaled sorceresses that could do anything. Far from the truth. She almost laughed herself. She nodded to the girl.   
Everyone's gaze was on her, and she felt her cheeks turning a rosey pink from embarressment, and suddenly a single thought tore apart everything, and made her stomach turn over.   
"Was.... Was there anyone else found near me? A blode girl, and a red headed girl?" Umi asked hopefully.   
"The other magic knights?" The chief asked. Umi nodded.   
"I'm sorry... No one was there..." Terry began, but when Umi's head fell, he quickly added, "The other villages might have found them, and we'll send out search partys. We'll find them for you."   
"Really?" Umi's voice was almost childlike. The chief nodded and issued orders to the two men and Terri that had came with him. They all ran off, except for Terri, who smiled and waved before leaving the room.   
"With your leave?" The chief bowed to her. The blush on her cheeks reddend even further, and the little girl's mother, Kathy, came to her rescue.   
"Umi needs to rest, You have her leave" She answerd, with a knowing smile at Umi as he left. She turned to Umi.   
"Are you not as famous in your home as you are here? You have saved a world, You and your friends... It makes me curious that you do not know how to respond to formal leaves." Kathy looked at her eyes.   
"No... I'm just an ordinary, average girl. I do have a little extra money than most people but.... I'm not famous or anything. I'm just like you two are, I suppose." The little girl gasped at her reply, and Umi continued, "The people in my world... They don't even know about Cephiro. Even my own parents... They... They never knew. They never will know..." She spoke the last words and looked down. Sha left the room and Kathy sat down on the edge of Umi's bed.   
  
"Earth... What's it like? When I was young, I always dreamed of going to a different world, what it'd be like I mean." She looked expectantly at Umi.   
"Earth... It's not like Cephiro at all. In Earth, people step all over you... The more willfull you are, the bigger the enemy the world is to you.... Will has no power there... Only money does... There is no magic there, only hard work.   
"You dont want to go to another world, Kathy. I was torn from my own world a few years ago and was orderd to save this world. I'm happy I did but... When it was all over... I was just thrown right back into my own world, with no way back. I had to leave Cephiro behind and be just a normal kid again after all those hardships we had suffered here. And no one ever knew..." 

"I see..." Kathy smiled, "Thank you.", and she left, leaving Umi alone.   
---- 

When Hikaru awoke, she was laying in a bed... a soft bed. She couldn't open her eyes right away, but when she did, she made a startling discovery. She was in her old room in the castle! She shot up abruptly, causing a sharp pain to run through her body, and she winced. Hikaru stood up and saw the open door. Her eyes was filled with happiness, and she was tempted to jump up and down on the bed in her happiness, but there was someone she'd rather see first that would make her even more happy. She made a break for the door, running at top speed, her eyes closed as she thought about her love.... Something that she shouldn't have done.   
Hikaru ran straight into a very solid structure, in which she first thought was the wall, and found herself on the ground. She struggled for a moment to sit back up and then opend her eyes, rubbing her head in frustration.   
(SD Hikaru) She sat on the ground, two large tear drops falling from her eyes.   
  
"Ouch..." She mummbled in disorientation, before gazing up at what she had ran into. At seeing what, or more accurately, who she had ran into, her cheeks went blood red, almost enough to match her hair.   
"Lantis!" She exclaimed in shock and happiness. He smiled at her, and she beamed back, hopping up off of the ground and throwing her arms around his chest, hugging him tightly.   
"Well... That was a graceful entrance" Presea noted from the door. But from Lantis' glare, she backed away.   
"I'll just.. uh... go see about the guarden" Presea made a break down the hall and away from the couple.   
--   
  
"Where am I?" Fuu's eyes gazed at her seroundings. She was in a forest of some sort... She felt dazed. She thought she recognized the forest, but her vision wasn't exactly to be trusted at the moment. She felt someone sit down beside her, and she nearly jumped up, but a strong hand held her to the tree trunk.   
  
"It's best you not move... You fell quite a ways"   
"Who are you?" Fuu asked, a slight sense of fear in her voice. The man moved to where she could see him... No, He was still a boy. Probably slightly younger than herself.   
  
"My name is Kain. I'm from one of the villages near crystal creek, right beside your friend's village. The chief there sent out word to the serounding villages to be on the look out for a girl about your age with blonde hair and green eyes. They said you weren't from around here... and from those clothes... and you falling straight from the sky... I figured you were probably the right girl" Kain grinned at her.   
"Well.. You're right about one thing.... I'm not from around here. But what do you mean by my friend?" Fuu looked at the boy.   
"They said her name was Umi... One of the magic knights" He replied.   
"Umi-Chan!" Fuu exclaimed happily, But her face failed.   
"What's wrong?" Kain asked her in a worried tone.   
"Hikaru-chan... Did they say anything about her?" Fuu asked gently, and sighed when he shook his head.   
"Don't worry, Everyone in Cephiro knows of the Magic Knights. I'm sure wherever Hikaru is, she'll be well taken care of." Kain urged softly. Fuu nodded and smiled. She was still worried.   
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Authors end notes: Why didn't I keep going? Because, It's three pages already x_x Three full pages. I think this chapter was really good... Seeeee.... Told ya it would be longer. Anyways... READ AND REVIEW! I already have the next chapter done. I'll post it when I get feedback >:P muhahaha   
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	5. Reunited at Last

Authors Notes: Wow. I do say I deserve an applause. Five chapters in three days O_o Actualy, two. My computer was being a b... brat last night >_x I hate it sometimes. Anyways, The fifth chapter. I need feedback... I'm being really nice and posting the first five chapters this quick. I might do one today, Not sure though.   
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Reunited at Last   
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Fuu sighed, she walked twords the village where she was supposed to be meeting Umi. She was relieved that they had found her, and even more so relieved that she was still alive. They had fell a rather long ways to say the least. She smiled as she entered the village and was greeted by the chief. 

"Konnichiwa..." Fuu forgot all about not being in Tokyo for a moment, until the Chief looked at her in a puzzled way.   
"Sorry.. It means Hello" Fuu sweat dropped and curtsied to the Chief, who only nodded and bowed back.   
"Here.. Over this way" Terri pointed twords a building. Fuu nodded and smiled, following them twords the building he had pointed at. 

"Hello Terri, Chief..." A woman said from the doorway. She didn't look too pleased.   
"Will you excuse us?" Terri asked. Fuu nodded and Terri, The Chief, and the Woman walked over to the side. A few hushed whispers passed between them and Terri gasped. Fuu's expression changed from a happy one to a worried one.   
"What's wrong?" She asked once he had re-approached her.   
"Your friend, Umi... Is gone. Kathy, the woman taking care of her, said she disapeared shortly before you came. She said that Umi told her that she was going to look for Hikaru." Terri informed her. Fuu frowned, but her face lightend and she smiled, bowing to him.   
"She'll be fine... She is, after all, A Magic Knight. I'm sure she'll find Hikaru-chan soon, and when she does, They'll go to the castle. I'll go there and wait for them" Fuu's smile was soft and happy. She knew Umi-Chan was alright, and she also believed that if Umi had strong enough of a will to jump off of Tokyo tower, She could surely take care of herself here. Terri's expression was doubtfull, but he soon smiled too.   
"You're right, ofcourse she will be capable of taking care of herself."   
--   
Hikaru and Lantis walked side by side in the gardens, her head resting against his side, and his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.   
"I'm worried about Umi and Fuu-chan... What if they're hurt?" Hikaru asked softly, in a painfully sad tone.   
"Don't worry, All of Cephiro knows of the Magic Knights... They will be protected and taken care of. We sent word out to the villages, They should be here soon." Lantis squeezed her shoulder in a comforting way.   
"mm.. You're right. Where's Clef and Ferio? I haven't seen them here" Hikaru asked, gazing up at Lantis as she felt his body stiffen slightly.   
"Clef and Ferio... have left the castle. After Fuu left, Ferio missed her very much, but remained true to his duties for two years, but here in the last year he said he couldn't take it anymore, and we found a letter from him on the dining table. He said that he'd be back some day, but for now he just had to take some time as Ferio, not the prince... But just as himself." Lantis said softly.   
"Poor Ferio-chan... We'll have to find him and tell him we're back! But what about Clef?" She asked again.   
"Well... Clef left even before Ferio. He claimed that he needed time for his studies elsewhere, and he disapeared all together... We desperately searched for him... but he was not found." Lantis sighed heavily.   
"Don't worry! We'll find 'em once Umi and Fuu-chan get back!" Hikaru beamed at him. Lantis chuckled and picked her up. She had grown in many ways, she was even a little bit taller... But she still was the same cute little girl he had fallen in love with. Hikaru shrieked as he did so, and he switched her around so he held her like a princess, her feet still kicking at the air. He gently nuzzled his nose into her neck, and kissed her on the cheek.   
"I've missed you alot... Cephiro has missed you." He smiled gently, whispering the words in her ear and making her giggle.   
--   
Fuu walked gently through the forest, making little sound as she did so. She didn't want to attract monsters, she wasn't sure she could call her sword to her from here. Even how peacefull Cephiro was, There was still monsters, A villager had warned her. She remembered this, and planned on taking up on the mans advice. She looked up to the sky, remembering what the villager had told her about her Prince...   
_"Is Ferio-Chan at the Palace?" Fuu looked expectantly at the villager, who sadly shook his head._   
_ "Prince Ferio has been missing for almost a year now. No one knows why exactly he did, except for his closest friends and confidents... but he has been gone every since."_   
"Where are you?" She mummbled softly. The trees rustled with wind, and she halfway expected it to answer her. Sighing to herself, she let the beauty of the forest calme her spirit and she walked on twords the castle. Once Umi, Hikaru, and herself was together again, they would search for Ferio-Chan. She was sure her friends would help her, and they would find him. She smiled to herself and pulled the hood of the brown cloak she was wearing further over her face to shield herself from the sunlight creeping through holes in thick branches overhead. One of the villagers had been kind enough to loan her a cloak. Everyone knew how she looked, and she didn't want to be stormed with crowds when she was leaving or going through any towns she might pass along the way. She gazed at the ground in thought, not recognizing it as she strayed from her path. Windam had been absent in her thoughts, but she could feel that her Guardian was still watching over her strongly. She wonderd if Umi and Hikaru had reached the castle yet, and how suprised Lantis and Clef was when they saw the two knights. She smiled at the thought. Before she could react, She felt a slight wind to the left of her shoulder, and then she felt herself bump into someone's chest. She blinked and backed up a little, hiding her face because of the deep blush that now wormed her cheeks. 

"Who are you? And why were you walking around here without weapon, or even better... Without looking where you're going? You almost walked right into the path of my sword, You know" An extremely familiar voice said, she thought she could feel a tip of curiousity, as well as annoyance in the male voice. She gasped and jerked her head up, the cloak still covering her face in shadows so the man couldn't see who she was. 

"Ferio-Chan!" She gasped as her eyes met with his. 

"..W.. Who?" Ferio asked quietly, the voice was very familiar to him... He had heard it often a long time ago, before he had left... Under her cloak, Fuu's eyes filled with tears of joy, and she threw herself onto him, her hands clutching at the soft fabric of his chest, and her head rested slightly above them. Ferio gazed in shock down at the person holding him, but rather than reaching for his sword, his hands gently approached the hood and pulled it away from his or her face.   
"Fuu?!" He gaped in suprise.   
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Authors end notes: Okay, I know that was a short one but hey... I had to make the chapter tittle and the story work. Besides, The next chapter is gonna be awesom. >:P So how do you like it so far? ^_^ 5 chapters... Wow. No reviews yet though ;_; As of 9:00, Saturday anyways. This'll probably be posted on Sunday, though.. Like I said above, the computer is currently being VERY stubborn ^_~   
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	6. Lost and Found, Saddness from Happiness

  
Authors Notes: Woo ^_^ I meant to do the sixth chapter sooner, but I went to see Return To Neverland. Yes, I know its sad that I actually liked it at my age, but I loved it ^_~ You should see it. I MAY upload the seventh chapter tonight. No Promises. Is everyone liking it so far? It'll get much better later on, I'm just getting the ball rolling right now. 

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Lost and Found, Saddness from Happiness   
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Umi sighed in annoyance. She sat down with a groan on a rock, looking out at the beautiful scenery. She didn't enjoy it one bit.   
SD Umi:"I don't recognize any of this... I left to find Hikaru and Fuu, and now I dont even know where I am..." 

She got up from the rock and walked to the stream, kneeling down and running her fingers through it. It was calme and gentle water, running like ribbons through her fingers. Umi smiled softly, deciding to follow it to its source. She rememberd that the castle was beside the sea, and perhaps this might atleast take her close to the castle. Besides, It did her no good to stay here. This didn't look like a particularly occupied section of the woods. She stood up and stretched, taking one last glance at the beautiful trees overhead before setting herself on course and began walking up stream twords wherever it may have began.   
-- 

Fuu sat quietly beside a warm fire, smiling to herself. She had finaly been re-united with Ferio, and for that she had been waiting years. It made the pain she suffered through to get here worth it. Very worth it.   
"Fuu?"   
Her thoughts were cut short as she looked up to see Ferio standing above her, looking down at her with a look of concern on his face.   
"Something wrong?" He questiond, sitting down beside her on the rock infront of the fire.   
"No, Just thinking." She smiled. Ferio gazed into her emerald eyes, and smiled contentedly. He could go back to Cephiro's palace now... He could do anything while she was here.   
"Fuu... Will you go back?" He asked, suddenly his face seemed very serious and solemn. Fuu turned her head so that she was looking at his face directly.   
"Maybe, Ferio-chan..." Fuu answered softly.   
"Mn... Not while I'm here, you won't. I let you leave me once before, but I wouldn't ever allow it again..." He tilted her face slightly up and leaned forward, capturing her in a gentle kiss.   
-- 

Umi sighed in annoyance. Following the stream had led her to the middle of nowhere. She grumbled. She had only gotten more lost. Gazing at the cave built into the mountainside, she decided that she best get some rest. She glared at the lake that the stream had came from, and kicked part of the shallow water in anger. Umi lost her footing and slid in the mud like sand into the water that she had previously thought to be shallow.   
"WAH!" She yelled as she was drenched, and water filled her mouth. 

"What was that?" A man mummbled to himself from inside the cave, standing up and picking up a wooden staff that was propped upon the cave wall. Slowly, he walked out into the daylight and blinked as he saw a young girl burst of from the water, caughing and stuttering in anger and annoyance. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, as there was moss and weeds all in her hair and clothes. He regretted it when the girl snapped her head in realization of her observer.   
"And what do you think you're laughing at?" She yelled at him, pulling herself up onto the bank and standing up. He frowned when she stomped over twords him, just stopping short of him by about an inch. She didn't look all that pleased, but he didn't figure he would either, if he was in the girls position. Even with the weeds in her hair, a faint feeling of recognition passed over him. 

Umi grumbled, And for the first time really took a look at the man that had dared to laugh at her. She wasn't normaly this annoyed or angry since she left Cephiro, but after the day she had, and all the weeds in her hair... she could make an exception. Her eyes fell on the object he was carrying in his hand. A tall, unusualy shaped staff with several jewls in it.   
.. It cant be him... She thought to herself, but all of her doubts went away when she looked up at his face. Up.   
SD Umi: "Gah, You're taller than me now!" A sweat drop rolled down her forhead.   
"Who.. Are you..?" He frowned in annoyance at the girl. She seemed familiar, and so did her voice... But..   
"You don't recognize me?" She blinked.   
"You look like a drenched rat, and you have more moss in your head than you do hair." He pointed out quietly. With that comment, she knew exactly who it was. Her face clouded over with pure joy, and she practicly jumped on him, Or more precisely, she pounced on him, hugging him tightly.   
"Clef!" She said happily. She was just so happy to see someone she knew, that she didn't think about the fact she just pounced on the Guru, the Master Mage of Cephiro. One of the most respected people in the entire world. Crack!   
SD Umi: Ouch! Hey, What'd you do that for?! A lump apeared on the side of her head, and she glared in anger.   
"Umi?" He looked like he had just been struck by lightning.   
"Ouch... You just now figured that out?... You didn't have to hit me that hard, You know..." She muttered, rubbing her head with a painful expression on her face. Clef hadn't moved, He was still too shocked to do so.   
"When did you... How did you...?" Clef began, gazing at her in disbelief.   
"We just got here... Or more like it, fell here... I don't know where Hikaru and Fuu are, or if they're okay... But I know I've been wondering around here for a day and I am completely and tottaly lost." Umi sighed.   
----- 

Hikaru felt guilty for not being worried about her friends, but seeing Lantis again had lifted a great weight from her heart, and she couldn't be sad. She smiled happily. It had been so long, and now they were finaly together. She felt like her old self again, The real Hikaru...   
"Happy to be back?" Presea was leaning on the side of the door. Hikaru jumped at her voice, but tilted her head and smiled happily.   
"Yes, I have missed Cephiro so much... I have missed all of you." She replied, her tone of genuine glee.   
"As we have missed you too" Presea nodded her head, walking over and sitting down beside Hikaru on the bed.   
"Can I ask you something?" She looked down at the covers.   
"Ofcourse" Presea replied. The look on the young girls face was serious, and it didn't look particularly happy.   
"When we came here... Well... Fell here, We went through this strange place... It was like there were red clouds everywhere, it hurt really bad when we tried to break through the doors. Why did..." Hikaru sighed, unable to finish.   
"Why did Cephiro close its doors on you?" Pesea gently finished. Hikaru nodded.   
"It didn't want to... The saddness of all the people of Cephiro... Me, Clef... Ferio... And Lantis for sure, we were so depressed when you left. Our wills... Were to move on with our lives... Even though our hearts wouldn't allow it... And.." Presea frowned deeply.   
"Cephiro closed its doors because it wanted to make the people happy again?" Hikaru asked.   
"Yeah... We're... We're sorry.... I know how painful it was. I mean... I dont but... I've heard the legend. It's something that you can't come close to in your most painful and darkest nightmares, its so painful that you cant even describe it as Pain, it's beyond that... And you girls... You had to go through that just to get back to Cephiro because of us.." Presea's voice was filled with saddness. Hikaru's mouth opend to say something, but then she shook her head and smiled happily.   
"Don't worry, We're back now. That's all that matters, right? Oh.... Here." Hikaru dug in her pocket and pulled out a big lollypop that she had brought from home incase they did make it. Presea looked at the piece of candy with a doubtful look on her face.   
"It's alright... It's for you to eat." Hikaru explained.   
"Oh!" She blinked at it, and pulled the plastic wrapped off of it and bit a piece of it off.   
"You're not supposed to bite it!" Hikaru shook her head in laughter as Presea held her front tooth. She should have told her that it was rock candy. Presea licked the lollypop then smiled happily, sticking the whole thing in her mouth and making her cheeks push out to the sides. Hikaru burst out laughing.   
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Authors notes: Well, thats it for this chapter. I got it done afterall ^_^ Well, The girls will meet up soon enough---then the real fun begins! Read and review!   
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	7. The Party, And the Importance of Concent...

  
Authors Notes: Okay, It's late here... It's cold here... And I've had three Dr.Peppers to keep me awake... So dont flame for any spelling errors. I might even miss a word here and there x_X On to the story.   
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The Party, And the Importance of Concentration   
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Fuu and Ferio had been traveling for only a short while, and they were within the castle's view now.   
"Wonder what they'll say when you get back?" Fuu looked at Ferio as they walked. She saw a playful smile apear on his face.   
"They'll probably be wondering more about who the beautiful girl accompanying me is. As for Lantis... He'll just talk about how immature and childish I am" Ferio grinned at her. Fuu laughed gently. He was probably right.   
"I wonder if everyone knows we're back in Cephiro" Fuu ponderd as they walked, glancing up at the beautiful sky.   
"Probably. Word travels faster than lightning here in Cephiro among the people. The sad part is, Usually the castle's news is about three or four days behind what they already know" Ferio chuckled to himself. He used to get really angry about that when he was young.   
--   
"Sir Lantis!" A voice behind Hikaru and Lantis rose up from the silence.   
"Yes?" Lantis turned to face the young page infront of him, A slight frown on his face.   
"Sir, The Knight of Wind and Prince Ferio has just arrived at the castle." The page informed them. Hikaru jumped up and down and threw her arms around the page and spun him in circles in happiness, making him fall. Hikaru jumped over him and ran from Lantis' room and down the stairs. By the time she had done so, she was out of breath.   
"Miss Hikaru!" Fuu said, blinking. She didn't think Hikaru and Umi would already be there. She smiled happily.   
"Fuu-chan!" Hikaru tackle hugged her friend in her own glee, forgetting that Ferio was standing behind her. They all went crashing to the ground, and everyone, servants and all, turned to stare at them.   
"Ouch... " Fuu mummbled. Ferio looked disgruntled, and Lantis simply shook his head at all of them.   
--   
Umi sat at the table, digging into her food like she hadn't eaten in months.   
"It wouldn't hurt to actually slow down enough so you could actually taste it." Clef's voice came from behind her, making her jump.   
"Oh.. Sorry. I haven't eaten in four days now... I was hungry." Clef tilted his head at the girl in a confused fashion.   
"If you were hungry... Why didn't you eat?" He asked quietly, even though he had a very good idea of the reason behind it.   
".. Just didn't feel like it..." Umi replied in a cautious tone. She was happy to be back in Cephiro, and she didn't even want to think about how the last few months had been, not eating but once every couple of days... Crying so much.   
"I see..." It was Clef who broke the silence between the two.   
"We should be going here soon... I mean, it takes a while to get to the castle.. Doesn't it?" Umi resumed her cheery atmosphere.   
"Seconds if you use magic" He replied. She had forgotten all the times he had teleported them around before. She nodded and smiled, standing up.   
"This way..." He sighed, motioning twords the door leading outside.   
--   
"I wonder when Umi'll get here...." Hikaru thought as she looked down at her food. They were dining in the guest room, as Ferio had put it. Several of the higher-ranked ladys and men, as well as themselves was celebrating the return of Ferio, Cephiros prince... as well as Umi, Fuu, And herself's return.   
As if reading her thoughts, Presea clapped her hands together in an enthusiastic way.   
"When Umi gets here, We should have a big party! For the Magic Knights, and for Prince Ferio!" She said in a rush, her voice estatic. Lantis couldn't help but groan, but that recieved an elbow in the side from Hikaru.   
"That sounds wonderful!" A woman accross the table nodded in agreement with Fuu.   
"Well.. It does seem propper, we are afterall very glad the Knights have returned, as well as Prince Ferio above all... I think it is a very good idea, Miss Presea" Caldina encouraged the idea, actually acting proper for once. Hikaru nodded happily.   
"Well then, It's settled! A toast!" Presea held up her glass, as did everyone else, and then took a hearty sip from it.   
--   
"Now Umi... It's very important that you concentrate" Clef said, for probably the hundreth time.   
"I know, I know" Umi grummbled. Clef sighed. He hoped she knew, teleportation spells weren't the safest way to go, but it was the fastest.   
"Alright... Close your eyes and concentrate... I'm going to take us to the castle" Clef closed his eyes, as did Umi. She began to feel light headed, and she felt the ground disapear beneath her... Stay concetrated, Clef begged to himself. Clef concentrated on Lantis, as he told Umi to, for he knew Lantis would be at the castle. Umi began to feel even stranger, when another thought crossed her mind against her own will. Her stomach growled. She was still hungry. A flash of light went through her entire being, and she felt herself being transported.   
-- 

Clef apeared beside Lantis, who had just stepped out of the dining room to take a moment of peace from the chattering table. Lantis' cool was almost completely lost when he apeared so suddenly beside him.   
"Clef?!..." He started to say something, but a loud noise was heard from inside the dining room   
--   
Hikaru and Fuu was laughing as they talked to Presea about the big party, when suddenly, Everyone's eyes were averted to a flash of light right above the table. Lantis and Clef apeared just in time to see Umi apear about 4 foot in the air above the dining table and come crashing down into it.   



	8. It's Party Time! Almost..

Authors Notes: Well, Last time I checked it was 2:10 in the morning, and that was a little while ago. I'm sitting here doing nothing except for listening to Rythm Emotion Pure, a Gundam Wing Song, and I decided to write this to keep myself from going insane. If you read my last chapter, Chapter 7, it was also written when I was high on Dr.Pepper about an hour and a half ago, maybe a little less, so thats why they're so goofy and humorous ^_~   
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It's Party Time! Almost..   
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Umi groaned in annoyance and embarressment.   
"Oh Cheer up, Umi-Chan. We're all together again, and in Cephiro.... It's not your fault that you were hungry" Fuu patted her on the shoulder to attempt to comfort her. Umi just sighed, looking even more miserable. What she wouldn't do to be able to disapear at the moment....   
"Don't worry, The party tonight will cheer you up for sure!" Hikaru said brightly. Umi remembered the party and smiled, nodding. Hikaru was right, she should be happy. But for some reason she wasnt... She had that lingering feeling of forgetting something.   
"You're getting old before you're time..." She thought to herself, and cheered herself up a bit by doing so.   
"Alright then! Time to get ready!"   
Fuu, Umi, and Hikaru turned to see Presea and Caldina enter with big grins on their faces.   
"Umn... It's four hours too early still" Umi pointed out, blinking at them.   
"There's no such thing as being early when you're getting ready for something like this!" Caldina chirped happily. Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu all sweat dropped.   
"Oh, Come on... Please?" Presea looked at them with that pleading look   
"Oh.. Alright... But we don't even know what we're gonna wear tonight yet." Hikaru scratched her head.   
"You haven't even picked out your outfits?!" They both sighed.   
"Oh alright.. We'll pick them out for you.. Meanwhile, you three need to take a nice long bath and get all cleaned up. We cant have you getting all dressed up unless you're clean completely." Caldina turned and left, a thoughtful hand on her cheek thinking about what to pick the girls out. Hikaru and Umi looked at one another with a sense of dread. Caldina had a very eleborate fashion sense. Presea shook her head and walked after Caldina, not quite that trusting yet.   
"I guess we should get ready and take a bath... You know once they get in this mood, there's no stopping them." Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu all sighed, nodding in agreement.   
"Hmn... Now that I think about it... It's been a long time since we came here, and I don't remember where we took a bath at..." Fuu said thoughtfully, but Umi and Hikaru had already left for their rooms. She shrugged and left for hers. It couldn't be that hard to find one around here.   
-- 

"How did they get back? The doors were sealed. Not even the strongest of wills, even the strongest Pillar we've ever had, could break through those doors." Clef frowned, pacing back and fourth in his room. He had been happy to see Umi, but now that he was alone, he had time to think more clearly. He stopped and sighed. Umi... She'd meant to tell me something before she left. I wonder if she even remembers....   
"Clef?" Ferio walked into the Master Mage's room. Clef turned to face the young prince.   
"Yes, Ferio?" He forced a slight smile.   
"Is something wrong... You've been in here for a while. And I think you're starting to wear the floor down where you've paced." Ferio grinned at him. Clef couldn't help but chuckle a little. He wouldn't doubt it one bit.   
"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the party?" Presea burst in the door.   
"Hey... Who let you in?" Ferio grumbled. He still didn't know about the whole party thing.   
"No time for that, We need to get you two all cleaned and polished up." Presea walked over to them and grinned at them in a way that made them both extremely uncomftorbal.   
"What -is- she thinking?" Ferio held up an arm, as if to shield himself from any of Presea's ideas.   
"Don't be silly, Come on... I'll leave you two men alone so you can get ready. Your Fuu-chan is already getting ready." Presea grinned. She saw Ferio finaly cave in.   
"Alright! Here, Here's your outfits for tonight, and remember...   
"You didn't really invite everyone, did you? I mean.. No one could come on this short of notice." Ferio blinked at her, and took a step back at the look she gave him.   
"Are you doubting my abilities..?" Presea looked as though she was about to tear him apart. Caldina chose this moment to almost throw Lantis in the room.   
"All here!" Caldina grinned, standing beside Presea.   
"Ofcourse! The Magic Knights, Saviors of Cephiro, as well as friends and saviors of the countries around it, Has finaly returned! And the prince who left so long ago, most importantly, has returned to Cephiro! They have cancled all their appointments and previous engagements just to come. So... GET READY" Presea nearly yelled the last bit in Lantis' ear, but he didn't seem to hear it... Either he was choosing to ignore it, or Caldina had probably made him deaf already. Probably the second one, Clef thought to himself in amusement.   
"Oh Alright! Just go away!" Ferio shook his head at the two women. They normally wasn't quite this bad.   
"Oh... And Fuu and Hikaru said they are getting all dressed up just for you..." Caldina grinned as she walked out with Presea, leaving the men with a smile thinking of what their loved ones would be dressed in.   
--   
The three girls had their bathrobes clutched around them when Presea finaly found them, they were upset because they didn't want to wonder through the halls with bathrobes on and not even know where a bathtub was. Presea couldn't help laughing at them, making both Umi and Hikaru glare.   
"Okay, Okay... Here, I have your outfits and your bath ready for you already." Presea grinned at the embarressed looks on their faces.   
"Alright, Follow me!" She marched out the door, and they all looked at one another. They sighed and prayed no one was wondering the hallways. Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu slowly followed the woman out the door and down the long hallway on one of the upper levels.   
"Here you are!" Presea opend the door and motioned them inside, or shoving them to be more precise. Umi thought that it'd be cold, but it was actually very warm in the room, and their clothes were folded close together on the long marble sink in the front of the room. Presea motioned twords the bath. The girls turned around and walked a little ways to the left to see a site that made them all blink and sweatdrop..   
"Presea, I could fit about 100 of my bathtubs in this thing!" Umi looked in disbelief at the tub. And she had large tubs.. so she thought...   
"It looks more like a pool...." Hikaru said, blinking at it. She was right. It was built into the floor, unlike theirs at home. It had water still pouring in it, filling it up constantly with warm water. Umi's eyes were still really big. Suddenly, without warning, Presea reached and grabbed their robes, yanking them so hard that it made the girls spin around and fall into the bathtub with a huge splash.   
"Presea!" Umi began to yell, but Presea had already shut the door and was gone. She sighed.   
"Oh well..." She sighed deeply and leaned back in the warm water. It felt good, she had been freezing every since she got to the castle. She thought that the people here were immune to it after living here so long.   
"Hey!" Umi jumped up when someone splashed her in the face. Hikaru was grinning real big, but Fuu just looked at her.   
"Two can play at that! Or Three!" Umi said, she moved her hand up twords the cieling, and water collected above her.   
"Hey... That's not fair!" Hikaru said.   
"All's fair in love and war!" Umi motioned twords them and the ball of water that had collected dropped on both Fuu and Hikaru's head.   
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Authors notes: Why did I choose to end it here? Because I couldn't think of anything else, and It's already 2 1/4 pages :) Be happy with that. READ AND REVIEW! ^_^   
  



	9. The Party Begins and a Stranger Apears

  
Authors Notes: Hiya, Well... We're just getting to the mushy and adventure and excitement in the next two chapters ^_^ Okee.. Let me point out something... Unless everyone keeps reviewing and stuff, I'll update once a WEEK on here instead of 2-3 times a day. >:P I would appreciate it very much, because if you notice, people that do that get more reviews than the people like me who are nice enough to put so many up ^_^ Okay... So READ AND REVIEW.. or else Selece, Windam, and Rayearth will split you into three and roast you for dinner, plus I'll quit writing... What more do you need to encourage you   
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The Party Begins and a Stranger Apears   
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They had finaly gotten out of the bath, and it was time to start actually getting ready for the party itself.   
"I wonder what they picked us out to wear..." Hikaru mummbled, her towel wrapped around her.   
"I don't know.." Umi held up her dress... or what she thought was her dress. Several other parts of the outfit fell off onto the floor. Umi looked at all the pieces to the outfit...   
"I think we need help..." Hikaru mummbled as she saw her and Fuu's outfits were much the same as Umi's. Umi and Fuu both nodded in agreement.   
-- 

Two hours later, Presea came in to find the girls still trying to get their dresses on, Umi was trying to put her head through her sleave openings.. She sweat dropped.   
"You STILL aren't ready?" Presea shook her head.   
"I can't help it.." Umi and Hikaru both whined.   
"Oh alright.." Presea helped each one of them with their dresses until everyone was ready. They had been so busy trying to get them on, They hadn't had a chance to actually look at them. Presea motioned them over to the full length mirror. Umi gaped at her reflection,As did Fuu and Hikaru. The outfits were beautiful...   
"Where.. Where did you find these?" Umi blinked at her reflection again. She could tell they had been made to match eachother. Her outfit was a floor length skirt that was very loose, whisps of silk were all over it, giving it the feel and look of water, and there was a dark blue sash tied around her waste. The neckline was just below her collarbone, and there was a golden ring fastend to it as a sleeve that held it up, light blue whisps of sleeves came from where it was fastend to the dress and hung down very low on her shoulders, leaving her arms bare. Hikarus was the same, with the exception that it was a light pinkish red with a dark red sash, and hers had a large bow in the back that made her look especially cute, and Fuus was also slightly different, She had a white layer up under her green, making it look much more elegant. Hers also had elbow length gloves, as did Umi, except hers were white and Umi's was a light blue with gold trimming. ((Think of the picture of Umi infront of the water dragon, holding the little reef of blue flowers, and the flowers in her hair. That's the outfit I'm describing, except with light blue gloves and knee length matching blue boots. For Hikaru, think of her outfit when shes sitting beside Rayearth and his horn is going through the little reef of flowers, the light pink outfit, except with a longer skirt and a bow in the back. For Fuu, it's the exact same picture's outfit, Her with Windam and flowers. It's the green and white outfit, except with white gloves that come to her elbows ^_^)) 

"You like it?" Presea said, grinning.   
"Like it? We love it! It's beautiful! Who made it?" Hikaru said, jumping up and down.   
"A little girl from a neighboring village... She's to grow into a seamstress. She sent it to us a year ago, and in the letter she said that she knew you'd come back, and everyone would be celebrating. She told me to give you these" Presea smiled. Hikaru smiled.   
"We're going to have to go thank her!" Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi all nodded in agreement. The dresses were the most beautiful ones that had ever seen, even in fantasy stories.   
-- 

As they entered the huge room, it made all three of the girls gasp. It was beautiful, a golden chandelier hung from the cieling and tables of food was set up around the right side of the room. There was a long stairway in the left side of the room that led up to the throne, in which Ferio sat looking miserable. There was women lined up all up and down the stair case. Fuu, Umi, and Hikaru sweat dropped.   
"Umn.. Fuu-chan... I think you might not better plan on getting first dance..." Hikaru blinked. Fuu nodded in agreement. That was alright, she could wait.   
"Uh.. Guys... Look" Umi looked around them. All the guys in the room were standing staring at them, and a line had already formed infront of them.   
"Oh dear.." Fuu mummbled, sighing to herself.   
"Why don't you go ahead and go get in line for Ferio, Fuu-chan?" Hikaru looked at Fuu, and she nodded before pushing her way through the men to go see Ferio. Hikaru hopped up and down on the floor to see over the men. Umi burst out laughing, and Hikaru shot her a glare.   
"He's over there..." Umi pointed twords the food tables. Poor Hikaru, She thought to herself in amusement as she tried to push past the taller men. She smiled though, as she saw Lantis turn and sit down his drink to dance with Hikaru.   
--   
Ferio stood from his throne and glanced down the long line of girls...   
"This is going to be a long night..." He thought to himself miserably, but his face broke out in a smile as he saw a blonde curly head at the center of the line up the stairs. She was too polite to come up here... He couldn't help but grin even wider though. He sighed and waved the next girl off and then started down the stairs twords the head he had seen. All the girls turned to see who he could possibly be going to meet, and all the girls parted when he stopped at Fuu.   
"Would you care to dance?" He asked, bowing deeply to Fuu and holding his hand out to her. Fuu's cheeks lit up brightly, And she nodded. They went hand in hand down the stairs, leaving the girls gazing at them from behind.   
-- 

Hikaru smiled, gazing up at Lantis, who was still gazing into her eyes.   
"You look beautiful tonight... Presea tortured you as she did us, right?" Lantis smiled gently at her, making Hikaru blush slightly, but she nodded. Hikaru moved closer to him when a slower song started, and she layed her head against his chest, smiling still as she did so. Everyone around them was watching Fuu and Ferio, as well as Hikaru and Lantis.   
--   
Umi smiled at her two friends... no, her four friends that were dancing with one another. She was happy for them, She was happy for herself.   
"Well... As long as I'm here... I might as well dance..." She mummbled under her breath, although she hated to take her eyes off her friends. She turned, and nearly fell when she saw a tall man infront of her, probably a good four years older than her... His eyes looked strange, she thought. A very un-natural color of blue, almost like hers... but something was different. He smiled gently, a confident smile if she didn't mistake it, and bowed to her so that his white-blonde hair fell over his face slightly. The man held out his hand to Umi.   
"Care to dance?"   
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Authors Notes: OoOoOo... Who is the new comer, and will Umi dance with him? And where is Clef when you need him? Review, and you shall find out! If not, you'll never know and you'll always be sorry you didn't. This was a shorty. 2 pages even ^_~ R&R   
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	10. The Party Continues; A Stranger's True C...

  
Authors Notes: Muhaha ^_^ Did you like the ending of the last chapter? Ah well, I wanted to put this here... If anyone likes my story thus far, I know someones who you'll really like ^_^ Read: The Water Dragon's Heart by: Umi-chan ^_~ Its almost complete. One chapter left. It's a really good story, I wish I could get that many reviews x_x Oh well. Anyways... READ AND REVIEW OR ELSE! >_x   
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The Party Continues; A Stranger's True Colors   
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Umi smiled, and accepted the stranger's dance invitation. He was, afterall, very cute. Slowly, they glided accross the dance floor elegantly and gracefully, the music was soft and gentle in her ears, and made their dance even more beautiful. Soon, People were watching them as well.   
--   
Clef sighed. He wasn't going to get any peace, he could already tell that much.   
"Oh come on, Just cause you are old, you dont have to act that way" Presea said, still pushing him down the hall.   
"Fine, Fine. Do leave me alone" He grumbled. He didn't want any part in this silly party, but if it would make Presea go away, he'd do anything.   
--   
Umi frowned. The song had ended, but when she tried to pull away, the stranger had pulled her closer to him.   
"Hey---" The music started up again, and before she could continue, they were moving again. So as not to fall or look stupid, she continued dancing, although now she was so close to him that you'd think they were a couple... Whispers was heard around the room. Umi's face was crimson, And she could feel the heat coming off from them. Suddenly, she saw someone that made her heart stop.   
--   
"She looks happy... It seems she has found someone here afterall. Perhaps this is who she returned for" Clef thought to himself, a grim exspression on his face. Something hurt him even worse than the fact she was dancing with someone so happily...   
"She never told me." He thought to himself, sighing and shaking his head.   
--   
"Hey..." Hikaru lightly hit Lantis in the shoulder as they danced and she nodded her head twords Umi.   
"Who is that?" She asked.   
"Probably someone just wanting to dance... You three girls are fairly popular with the men of Cephiro" Lantis pointed out, Hikaru nodded but frowned.   
"She's danced with him for two dances... And look.. Isn't that Clef?" Lantis frowned at what Hikaru said. She was right, Umi, he thought would just be dancing so she wouldn't look strange. But she had danced twice. I wonder if she likes him... He thought to himself.   
-- 

Umi was starting to feel really tired.. She had only danced twice and her eyelids were falling, her forehead leaned on the mans chest as they danced. She thought she could feel him smiling, and she didn't like it at all.   
"Clef-chan.." She muttered under her breath as he turned to leave the room. What was she doing? She was so sleepy... Umi pushed away from the man and they stood for a moment as if in a face-off. Her eyes were sad. She didn't think Clef would have came to the party. She felt terribly guilty.   
"I'm sorry... Is something wrong?" The man asked. Everyone was watching them.   
"Yeah.. You are" Umi muttered as she walked quickly and quietly out of the room, following Clef into the hall way. 

--   
"Hey, Wait Up!" Umi half walked, half skipped, which did her no good in the high heels. Crash. She fell flat on her face.   
Clef stopped and turned around to face the girl, who was laying at his feet. He raised an eyebrow at her. 

"Ouch... Hey, Why didn't you just wait?" She mummbled, rubbing her nose as she sat up. Clef helped her to her feet.   
"You seemed happy back there, I didn't want to interupt, That's all." He frowned at her.   
"Yeah well.. I wasn't. That guy gives me the creeps.." Umi shivered, rubbing her arms.   
"Oh?" Clef frowned. 

"Hey Umi, Clef, Something wrong?" Hikaru, Fuu, Lantis, and Ferio came half-running, half jogging down the hall. They all stopped infront of them. They looked worried, and who wouldn't with the exit she made.   
"Sorry guys.." She half laughed, "I guess I just didn't feel much like dancing. Especially not with that guy."   
"Oh.. Then why'd you dance twice?" Hikaru persisted.   
"Because... I just couldn't pull away. I wanted to but... " She saw the look Lantis was giving her, "No, No, not that way... Nothing romantic about it. I just literaly couldn't. He gives me the creeps."   
"Oh.. Well let us know if anything did happen or happens... Me and Fuu will get him good for you" Ferio grinned his usual goofy way. Fuu laughed lightly, and everyone else laughed too. Even Clef.   
"So you coming back in and dancing? I think you stopped the whole party. See, I told you that the Magic Knights had a big influence here" Lantis grinned. He wanted to get back to dancing with Hikaru, but he was worried about Umi. He was afterall her friend.   
"Nah.. Just tell everyone I had a temporary lapse of sanity, or I got sick and didn't want to throw up on him.." Umi grinned, then added, "But that would be a lie. I would've found it very funny actually" After another good laugh, they all parted. 

--   
"Mn.. That guy isn't here anymore" Fuu said as her and Ferio danced slowly, her head leaning on his chest and her eyes closed almost completely.   
"Good.." He replied, gently squeezing Fuu to him. Fuu smiled happily. She couldn't be any happier, but in the back of her mind she knew something was wrong with what happend that night. She sighed and let it go for one night, and just enjoyed the gentle sway of the dance. It had been a long time since Ferio and her had danced like this, a very long time.   
--   
Hikaru smiled happily, she was still clinging to Lantis, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed her being there all the time. They danced as slowly as Fuu and Ferio, and the whole room watched the two couples.   
"Tonight has been perfect." Hikaru smiled up at Lantis, she was happy to be back, and now she was even more happy to be back with her love.   
"No... " Lantis smiled gently, and Hikaru looked at him puzzled. He leaned down, tilting her head up and kissed her on the lips tenderly. He was reluctant to pull back from her. Several of the girls in the roomed 'Awed'   
"Now it's been perfect..." Lantis grinned, and Hikaru nodded, a perfectly happy and content look on her face. She smiled at Fuu from accross the room, and saw Fuu wink before her and Ferio swirled around again so that she was out of view. Even though she didn't see it, Hikaru guessed from the girl's voices and the way the men looked that they had kissed. She smiled. Tonight had been perfect for them.   
--   
Ascot was dancing with Presea in a friendly fashion. Presea had told him that it was her idea for the party, and had been braggining every since about how brilliant she was. He had smiled though, when Umi ran after Clef. Maybe now finally someone would learn to love the old cranky man. He grinned at his thoughts. He would forever love Umi, but wishing her good will with anyone she loved or would future love was the ultimate way to prove it, and that he did.   
"I'm such a genius" Presea said for the fiftyth time tonight. Normally she wasn't quite this bad... He would murder whoever had given them sugar today. He sighed and shook his head.   
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Authors Notes: So Watcha think...? Was it worth waiting for? Mmmmmmn?   
READ AND REVIEW! >.x   



	11. Nightly Conflicts

  
Authors Notes: Woo hoo ^_^ Eleventh chapter. Second day. The last chapter was really fun.. Who was the mysterious guy? Well you dont know :P But I suggest you pay very close attention to him. He might sneak up any day now and stab you! Just kidding... Anyways, Be good little readers and review O_o You can review on more than one chapter you know. It'd help me out alot. There's -SOME- people who writes around this many chapters and already has 15-20 reviews x_X Maybe I should just leave it here for a week without updating :P Kay, I'm done ranting. On with the show.   
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Nightly Conflicts   
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Hikaru shot up from her bed. She had that dream again.. Her eyes were wide, and beads of sweat trickled down her forhead. She tried to shake away the thoughts that clouded her mind, but she couldn't. Immediantly, her first thought was Lantis.. Hikaru threw the covers back on the bed and rolled over, slipping her shoes on. She didn't bother to tie them, but instead ran out into the hall way to goto Lantis' room. She reached his room quickly with her speed, and threw the door open. She didn't even think about it as she threw herself onto Lantis' bed in a fit, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him, as though she was frightend he wouldn't wake up. But he did, and rather abruptly for that matter.   
"Wah!" Hikaru was thrown back off the bed when Lantis shot up, shoving her off of him in shock. He halfway sat up, his hand resting ontop of his knee and his other leg still laying down on the bed.   
"Hikaru?" He looked at her, his eyes were filled with annoyance and anger. Hikaru's eyes immediantly began to well up and she looked as though she had just been struck by him, except even more so hurt. Her lip trembled.   
"Hikaru... I'm.." He began, but Hikaru had pulled herself to her feet and ran out of the room.   
-- 

Clef looked out from his room as Hikaru slammed the door to her own room. He sighed. He would get no peace tonight until things had mended. He desided to pay a visit to a certain knight to see what was wrong with Hikaru. Clef didn't think directly talking to Hikaru was such a good idea at the moment.   
--   
Umi sat on her window seal, staring out at the night sky. She started when Clef entered. Crash.   
"I always told you not to sit on that thing..." Clef smiled weakly as she looked up at him from the floor, her legs still ballanced up on the window pane, but the rest of her strolled out on the floor.   
"Oh be quiet... It's your fault" Umi glared at him, picking herself up from the floor and sitting down on the bed.   
"So... What is the Master Mage Clef doing making secret night visits to my room?" She grinned. She needed something to cheer her up, and Clef was going to be that something. She heard a slight 'Hmph' from him.   
"I came to see if you knew why your friend ran down the hall crying and waking half the castle up..." Clef muttered under his breath.   
"Who?" Umi blinked. She didn't know anyone else was up.   
"Hikaru" He replied.   
"Hikaru-chan? She never crys! I'll be right back!" Umi hopped up from the bed and went running out the door. Clef sighed and shook his head. There goes the other half of the castle's sleep... He thought to himself.   
--   
"Hikaru-chan?" Umi gently opend the door to her friends room.   
"Yes, Umi-ster?" Hikaru and Fuu was sitting on her bed talking. She looked as though she had been crying.   
"Anything wrong? Clef said you woke up half the castle, running around like that this late" Umi tried to cheer her friend up, closing the door behind her.   
"Oh! I'm sorry, did I wake you up too?" Hikaru looked worriedly at her friend. She hadn't meant to be that loud.   
"From the looks of it... Umi-Chan doesn't look like she's been to sleep at all tonight..." Fuu pointed at Umi's clothes.   
"Why not?" The short girl asked, feeling especially small tonight.   
"Just because.... Anything particular that upset you?" Umi asked quietly, sitting down beside Fuu and Hikaru.   
"Yeah... Fuu and I had that dream again... You're lucky you were awake" Hikaru mummbled, looking at the ground. She frowned.   
"I'm beggining to think this little dream of ours isn't so much of a joke as we thought it was..." Fuu sighed softly. She hated to have something ruin their fun so early being back in Cephiro, but they couldn't ignore it either.   
"Yeah... Me too" Hikaru folded her arms.   
"Well.. In any case... It's 3:30 in the morning! We should be getting some rest. Maybe we can talk the others into a walk tomarow around Cephiro.. and maybe ask them about some things." Umi smiled at her two friends, even though she didn't feel like it.   
"Yeah... You're right... G'night Umi-ster, Fuu-ster" Hikaru smiled, genuine, unlike Umi. Hikaru hugged both of her friends tightly, and they hugged her back. It felt good to be together again, and as long as they had that... they wouldn't have to worry about tomarow. Umi and Fuu began to walk out.   
"Umn..." Hikaru began.   
"Yes?" Fuu turned to look at Hikaru.   
"Well... Me and Lantis kinda didn't work out to well when I came bursting into his room in the middle of the night, and I was wondering if someone would walk me to his room... I mean... It's not that I'm scared or anything... But..." Hikaru looked at the ground. Fuu and Umi both laughed at the younger-looking girl.   
"I'll walk you, Hikaru-chan. Umi-chan, you should get some sleep.. Atleast we've had some, despite how restless it was" Umi nodded to Fuu, and they walked their seperate ways. Umi started back twords her room, but as she neared it, She found Clef waiting quietly beside her door. Her heart skipped a beat.   
--   
This time, Hikaru knocked. Fuu had left her to walk back to her own room after walking her there, and she was glad.   
"Yes, Come in.." She sighed, relieved that he hadn't gone back to bed. She quietly enterd his room, stopping so that she could take a good look at him. For the first time, she noticed, that his chest was bare except for the sheets that were pulled loosely around him. She blushed deeply. Her face stopped burning when she realized that he had his head in his right hand, oblivious to the fact that she was the person who had knocked. He looked upset, and that made Hikaru sad.   
"Umn..." Hikaru came and sat down infront of his bed on her knees.   
"I'mreallysorryIburstinherelikethatIhadabaddreamandwasscaredsoIwasntthinkingclearly" She said all together in a really quick sentence all together. Lantis immediantly took his hand down from his face.   
"What...?" He began, and Hikaru sighed and started over.   
"I'm really sorr I B---" She squealed when Lantis picked her up off of the floor and cuddled her close to him, hugging her softly.   
"Mn.. I was angry with myself that I acted like that. I'm the one who's sorry." He smiled and kissed her gently on the forhead.   
"Don't. I have to go back, you know" Hikaru grumbled. She didn't think anyone would find it amusing for her to sleep here tonight, especially not Ferio and Clef.   
"Oh alright... You sure you have to?" Lantis grinned at her. Hikaru nodded, looking a bit sad.   
-- 

Umi.... Clef looked at her. She looked troubled and sad. He wished he had know about this before the party.   
"Umi.." He began, getting her attention. They were inside her room now, and she was sitting on the window again.   
"Here..." He handed her a mug of a tea-colored looking liquid. She figured it was something to make her sleep. She drank the liquid, and it tasted suprisingly sweet. She grinned.   
"Umi, Why didn't you tell me?" Clef asked quietly, sitting down on her bed with his staff still in his left hand.   
"Tell you... what?" Umi asked nervously.   
"About the dream..." Clef shook his head at her. What else would he be talking about..   
"Oh..." Umi sighed in relief to something unknown to him. He frowned at her, and Umi caught the look.   
"I'm sorry... It just didn't seem important." She replied gently, standing up and walking over to the bed. She curled up just beside him in the warm sheets, smiling gently.   
"Umi-chan.. It could be more than imporant"   
Her eyes opend quickly and moved to look at him. It was the first time he had addressed her in that way. His voice had been of genuine concern, she realized, and blinked. She stood up and walked over to the window and closed it. She turned around and smiled. Clef stood up and bowed quietly, but still kept his eyes on her. Slowly, she swayed slightly to the side. 

"M--May.. be..." Umi completely collapsed into Clef, and he caught her gently. He looked down at her, supprised. Even his sleeping potions usually took a few minutes to take effect because of the girl's strong magic and will. And for it to take effect so quickly.... It would usually take the equal of a full day of fighting monsters. Then he rememberd how tired she seemed to all of a sudden be at the party... When she was dancing. With him. He frowned deeply. He had a feeling that niether Umi, Hikaru, or Fuu should see the man again... Or him, for the man's sake.   
He picked her up and walked over to the side of her bed, gently pulling the covers down. He layed her down on the bed, and layed her head gently on the pillow.   
"Good night, Umi-chan.." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead unconciously, and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. With that, he left the room quietly.   
  
  



	12. The Mysterious Person Reapears ,Fuu's De...

Authors Notes: Okay, It's over a half an hour past time to goto bed, and I'm up writing a story.. -_- 

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The Mysterious Person Reapears ,Fuu's Defeat.   
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Hikaru and Umi sat at the table with Lantis, Ferio, Clef, and Presea. They had finished their breakfest and now was just chattering. That's what worried them. Fuu hadn't shown up yet. Fuu was a very... punctual person. It wasn't like her at all.   
"mm.. Has anyone seen Fuu-chan?" Hikaru piped up from all the chattering.   
"Not this morning" Presea replied before taking the last bite of her breakfest.   
"She's probably out in the guarden's... I'll go find her." Ferio stood up and exited. Hikaru and Umi looked at one another and grinned. Clef saw the looks they were giving eachother and he shook his head, thwarting whatever evil plans Hikaru and Umi might have had in store for the couple. Lantis chuckled at Hikaru and Umi's sad looks.   
-- 

Fuu sighed contently as she walked through the gardens. It was so beautiful this time of year, all the flowers in bloom. She smiled gently.   
"Hello, M'Lady" Said a grinning Ferio. Fuu turned around, only to find emptiness. She looked around for a moment curiously and then shook her head. She turned around to see Ferio standing, holding a emerald colored rose out twords her. Fuu laughed a little as he placed it in her hair.   
"Out for our morning excersise?" Fuu nodded at his question. Ferio held his arm out to her, and she looped hers through his, and they went back through the castle's doors. 

--   
"You seem back to normal." Clef commented. Hikaru had skipped up to walking by Lantis, leaving the two alone.   
"What's there to be un-normal about?" She chirped.   
"Well for one you passed out less that a minute after you drank that sleeping potion..." Umi's face lit up in a blush. That's why she didn't remember going to sleep or laying down.   
"Look Umi-Chan! Fuu and Ferio have beaten us here!" Hikaru seemed almost disapointed. They were supposed to be practicing their sword fighting techniques today, and many of the sword-masters in training had came to see how they would fair against the legendary magic knights...   
"So many challengers... And almost all of them are bigger than me...." Hikaru blinked, having to look up at all the men once they got close enough to talk to any of them. Umi grinned.   
"There's no almost to it.." Lantis pointed out. Hikaru glared at him, causing everyone to laugh   
"Sure is alot of competition.." Ascot mummbled.   
"No worries, We'll beat them all!" Umi jumped up into the air, only to be knocked over the head by Ferio.   
SD Umi: Grr...   
"Not like that you wont." Ferio mummbled. 

"Hello again everyone!" Fuu smiled.   
-- 

The day went by quick, there were many challengers, but Umi Hikaru and Fuu defeated them all without much trouble. Then it came down to Hikaru and Umi having to fight one another. Hikaru whined. She didn't want to fight Umi.   
"Don't think of it as fighting, You're just helping her train to get better... As a friend.." Fuu tried to encourage Hikaru. Hikaru only nodded nervously. Hikaru and Umi fought, Umi had the upper hand however through all the fencing matches she had been in. Hikaru had amazing natural talent, and talent from previous battles in Cephiro... But Umi had both Natural and Hard earned talent, and thus in the end came out victor.   
"Poor Hikaru..."Fuu mummbled.   
"One had to loose.. Besides... It will help Hikaru become a better swordswoman... She needed the practice, and won't make the same mistakes next time." Lantis smiled gently, hugging Hikaru when she approached him.   
"Ah... Look! Fuu-chan will fight next. She and Umi will be fighting in the finals if she wins this last match!" Hikaru cheered for Fuu and Umi equally, as did Ascot and Presea. The others just sat back and watched. A man with a white, featherd mask entered the fighting area, his sword long and elaborately decorated. Clef frowned. Whoever he was, his aura was much different than theirs, even though he couldn't place exactly how.   
--   
"Ready...."   
"Fight!"   
The man and Fuu matched eachother blow per blow, neither gaining the upper hand.   
"He's good" Fuu realized suddenly, barely dodging the next blow.   
-- 

Ferio and Clef were both frowning now, both for different reasons... Ascot cheered Fuu on, While Presea thought of all the ways to honor her once she won (She was mad at Umi). Lantis just remained their, a mono expression on his face.   
"His blows... They aren't normal for this type of match. They're centered on unusual spots, like he's actually trying to catch her offguard and injure her..." Ferio's frown depend, as the sword blade grazed the side of Fuu's shoulder. 

--   
She could barely keep up with the movement of the sword infront of her. Something was strange, She was much more tired than she should be. The sword grazed her shoulder, and her eyes narrowed for the first time during the fight. Whoever it was, they weren't joking, and they didn't look or act very friendly.... A blow came at her that she should have been able to block, but for some reason, her arms and sword gave away completely, and without warning she fell down on the ground. The man drew his sword back and it flashed forward, all she saw was a streak of silver, and then a blade poised between her two eyes. She felt the man smirk, and she felt something different from him. Very different, as though he let her glimpse of him.. the real him. 

--   
Ferio started, and took a step twords Fuu, but Clef shook his head.   
"She'll be fine... That was no ameatur swordsman.... He was a swordsman every bit as good as you. However... Fuu should have been able to block the last move." Lantis read Clef's mind practicly.   
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Authors Notes: Welllll--- Who do ya think the mysterious guy is? >:) First Umi, now Fuu... Poor Fuu. That wasn't very fair, was it? Oh, and the reason I cut this short, and theres about 100 differrent spelling errors... Well it's simple... It's an hour past my bedtimes, after I got it through ^_^* Well, keep reviewing and I'll keep writing.   



	13. A Peaceful Walk in the Forest

Authors notes: Okay... Tonight there's probably only gonna be one update... Too tired. Long day at school. BTW, Last nights chapter was off the top of my head type stuff, so no flames on it x_x Yay, I will have 20 reviews in no time. I keep updating so I'll keep this at the top of the list. Where does everybody look first? The top ofcourse ;p   
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A Peaceful Walk in the Forest   
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Hikaru frowned. She had dreamt the same dream last night.   
"Oh come on, Cheer up! We're going walking today, remember?" Fuu smiled at her friend in a reasuring way.   
"Indeed!" Umi smiled cheerily, before seeing the outfits Presea had layed out for them. Umi's mood changed rather quickly. Fuu and Hikaru gazed over her shoulder to see what Umi was so upset about, and sweat dropped.   
"I will NEVER put on another one of these again... I refuse" Umi grumbled at the dress. Hikaru nodded solemnly. Those dresses weren't desighn for comfort or ease of dressing.   
"Calme down.. I'm sure Mrs. Presea wouldn't mind us dressing in our own clothes" Fuu didn't think the dresses looked so good herself.   
"Right" And with that, they retreated to their suitcases to find something that wouldn't make them look too out of place.   
-- 

Ferio couldn't suppress his grin when the girls came down for breakfest that morning. He had told Presea that they wouldn't dress in those outfits.   
"Good morning.." Fuu said politely before sitting down. Clef gazed at Umi, Hikaru, and Fuu for a moment, then shook his head as if to disapprove. Umi and Hikaru, as if reading his mind, looked at him as though they dared him to say anything. Clef's expression remained the same, and he went back to his food.   
--   
"Wow!" It's great to be OUTSIDE again..." Umi stretched her arms in the sunlight. She smiled as two of the bird-like creatures flew by her in a pair, their horns entertwined.   
"Yep, Sure does!" Hikaru skipped beside her as they walked through the forest.   
"Look!" Umi said, pointing at something on a branch, that Hikaru didn't get a chance to see. She wined, and Umi laughed. They were enjoying their walk, but someone wasn't. Clef walked infront of them, quietly and silently. Fuu and Ferio walked together, as did Lantis and Hikaru.   
Umi leaned over to where she was right beside Fuu's ear, "Just because you are old.. doesn't mean you have to act that way" They both giggled. Ferio shook his head at Umi. She loved nagging on Clef for some reason here lately. Was it because Clef was taller than her now? He grinned, But with the look Clef shot behind him, They all sweat dropped and turned back around to talk to one another privately.   
Hikaru made a sudden stop, and everyone looked behind at her.   
"Something wrong, Hikaru-chan?" Fuu looked at her concerned.   
"Go on ahead... I have to tie my shoes..." Everyone sweat dropped and left the young girl behind to tie her shoes. 

Hikaru watched everyone walk on, and Hikaru kneeled down, lacing up her shoes and tieing them tightly. She had asked her mother to buy her some slip on shoes just last week, but she hadn't thought to wear them. She didn't think she would even see Cephiro again, much less worrying about packing for the trip.   
Her eyes snapped into focus when she heard a shuffling sound behind her. She stood up and turned to see a small, cute little cat like creature.   
"Kawaii!" Hikaru clapped her hands together. Umi and Fuu would love to see it. She smiled and walked towards it, but the creature ran off.   
"Hey, Don't!" Hikaru cried and ran after it.   
-- 

"Didn't Hikaru stop to tie her shoe? Shouldn't she have caught up by now?" Lantis frowned, and he didn't look happy at all. It had been a while now.   
"Don't worry, She's probably just taking her time.." Ferio began, but Clef cut in so sharply it made everyone jump.   
"Umi, Fuu... Please, Go check on Hikaru. She might have wondered off the path." Clef frowned deeply. Although from the looks in his eyes, Umi doubted that was what he worried about. She nodded before Fuu could object, and began jogging back down the path, Fuu turned and ran after her friend. 

"Guru... If you mind my asking, Why were you so worried about Hikaru? You might be right about her wondering off, but she wouldn't wonder far" Ferio caught Clef by the shoulder. Clef turned to face him   
"You're right... There's something that has been wrong in Cephiro for a while, and the recent events have made me much more weary of what it might be" His eyes told Ferio that he wasn't lying, and Lantis nodded. It made sense.   
--   
Hikaru froze. A overwhelming sense of fear gripped her, and she had to remember to breath. She tried to send something to Lantis, a feeling, an image, or anything... but her mind was completely numb.   
"Why can't I think clearly? My head feels so... fuzzy..." Hikaru mummbled, rubbing her forehead. She concentrated hard. A flaming sword apeared in her hands. It took more concentration than usual, but atleast it was there.   
"Alright, Come out!" Hikaru looked around her.   
"As you wish it..." A soft, dangerous voice came from what she thought was the right of her. Seeing something move, she lept at it and started to bring her sword down, right before a pain seered through her body, and she was thrown up against a tree. Her eyes didn't want to open under the pain, but she forced them to, sitting up and wearily looking in the direction she was hit from. A figure stepped out of the shadows, and she gaped at him. 

--   
"Umi-chan, Something's wrong!" Fuu shouted as they sped up their pace to an even faster run, if it were possible. They felt Hikaru's aura fading away, And Rayearth storming within her and waiting to be realeased.   
"What's happening?!" Umi cried out, as a huge monster apeared infront of her.   
"I'll take care of this monster, Go ahead and help Hikaru" Fuu smiled reasurringly at her friend. Umi was concerned. They hadn't fought in a long time... but Hikaru needed help. She nodded back and ran ahead.   
--   
Hikaru stared at her sword a few feet to the side of her. She couldn't will herself to move. Sitting up hurt enough. She closed her eyes as the man whispered words of a Langauge she couldn't understand, and she felt herself slowly slipping from conciousness... 

--   
Umi's eyes widend from shock as she saw Hikaru slowly falling twords the ground. With all her will, Her sword formed in her hand and her aura roared in anger, a silvery blue light forming around her.   
"Stop it!" She cried out, jumping from her perch on the tree. Her voice had alerted the familiar man, and his head snapped up, and as he began to jump away from her attack, long thing strands of wind caught his leg. His leg was torn from the strands quickly, however not quick enough. Umi's sword connected solidly with his chest, but she also recieved a suprise. Something hit her in the back, and she did a complete flip. Trying to land, she couldn't because of the force she hit with, and she went rolling over on her side a few times.   
She layed there unable to move, and Hikaru closed one eye, using her powers just to sit up.   
"Umi-chan, Hikaru-chan!" She yelled. 

--   
Both Clef and Lantis' eyes snapped open. They had been sleeping, resting for when the girls came back.   
"Something has happend..." Clef said quietly, his grip on his staff tightening.   
--   
By the time they had arrived, Fuu had both Hikaru and Umi layed out beside on another, and was about to go for help.   
"Fuu?! What happend?!" Ferio and Lantis both ran forward to the three girls, and Lantis kneeled beside both Hikaru and Umi's limp bodies.   
Hikaru's eyes slightly opend, but fell closed as she felt a wave of magic fall over her.   
"It'll be best if they rest... We do not want to cause them more pain by keeping them awake. We must take them back to the castle" Clef quietly said. Lantis and Ferio nodded. Ferio picked Umi up, and Lantis picked Hikaru up, and waited for Clef.   
"Clef..." Fuu began, But Clef began the spell before she could start to explain anything, and they were back at the castle in no time.   
-- 

Umi's eyes opend just enough to see a third of the blurry figure sitting beside her. She groaned, finding she couldn't roll over.   
"mn... C.. Clef...? Umi asked questioningly, her view far too blurry to trust. His eyes snapped open, revealing that he wasn't asleep as she thought he was. His head tilted upwards so he could see her.   
"You're awake..." He stated quietly.   
".. Yeah..." Umi would have laughed at his stating the obvious as usual, but her mouth was dry as it was, and she was afraid her throat was about to crack.   
"What happend?" Umi asked, blinking at her incapability.   
"I was hoping you could tell me. Fuu said that you ran ahead, and she fought the monster that apeared, and that you and Hikaru were in a fight." Clef frowned at her deeply.   
"Oh.. Yeah..." Umi remembered quietly.   
"Why did they wish to fight Umi, What do they want from you?" He asked quietly.   
"It's nothing.." She smiled up at him.   
"It is much more than nothing... Tell me, Umi. Please." He looked like an old man all of a sudden, aged by the sad look on his face.   
"It was _him _again.." Umi sighed in a defeated way under the look he was giving her.   
"...I see." He replied. He made no other comment on the matter, which suprised Umi.   
"You might be in the bed for a few days... The wounds he gave you will heal by time, and that means mostly your fever. You will have to re-gain your magical, as well as phsyical and mental energy before you can be up and about. Here..." Clef layed the rag accross her forehead.   
"...But" Umi began, She was cut off when clef reached behind her neck and lifted her head up enough to pour the sweet tasting potion down her throat. She blinked, and all began to be hazy.   
"Sweet dreams.. " was all she heard before she fell into dreams that were anything but sweet.   
  



	14. Training and Concluions

Authors Notes: Ah... Well, the chapter I posted today was one I did yesterday. I didn't do one the day before yesterday though. Why? Cause I didn't feel like it ^_^ On the weekends, I'll do much more chapters than I do now. You know how tiring school can be, and it doesnt leave much time for chapter writing. I've been a bad girl. Have to write sentences x_x Ah well. Anyways, This is my 14th Chapter!!! I have almost reached my goal, and I will probably go much further ^_^ My goal was 20 chapters. Seven more, including this one. Think I can make it? I hope so ^_^   
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Training and Concluions   
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Umi sighed and grumbled in pure annoyance. She couldn't stand this. She was being held captive in her bed against her will, not being able to get up and enjoy Cephiro.   
"Clef..." She grumbled in annoyance. He was the one who locked her up in here... "Who do you think you are?" She sighed.   
"He is the Guru Clef from Cephiro" came a voice from her doorway. Umi turned to see Ascot standing there.   
"May I come in?" He asked quietly, his cheeks where flushed. She nodded her permission, and he sat down in a chair beside the bed.   
"What's wrong, Umi...?" His eyes rested on her face, which was tilted downwords, and held in her hands.   
"Just tired, I guess.." Umi replied, smiling at him.   
"Umi..." Ascot frowned in doubt. She laughed. Ascot and her had became very good friends, and though he still loved her... he understood now.   
"I miss my mother and father, and my aunt, I suppose." Umi replied gently.   
"Oh... I thought you said..." Ascot felt uncomftorbal. Umi had told them that their parents were dead. All of them. Umi simply sighed.   
"They are dead, I guess... I haven't seen them in such a long time. They're busy... too busy to have a daughter. They left a while ago for a different part of Japan, and they haven't came back." Umi smiled down at her covers. She never thought she would actually miss them.   
"Then why are you upset? You must not be very close, afterall..."   
"Because... They're my parents. They were still there for me when I really needed it, even if it wasn't all the time..." Umi replied, "And as for my aunt... She was the one who took me in and kinda acted like Mom did, even if it was hard. She hasn't had any children to take care of in a long time"   
"Hmn... I see. Why don't you lay down and rest?" He smiled quietly, standing up.   
"You sound like Clef" Umi frowned at him.   
"Guess I do, but he's right sometimes, You know..." Ascot grinned at her as she 'Hmphed' at his comment.   
--   
Fuu and Hikaru were practicing with their swords. Ferio, Lantis, Clef, Ascot, and Presea was all there to watch the fight. Ofcourse, Caldina was serving refreshments, as though it was a entertainment show.   
Hikaru and Fuu was dressed in loose clothing, and now were going at it with all they had.   
"You better be careful.. Your girlfriend will be able to defeat you here soon if you're not careful" Presea nudged Ferio, who shook his head at her.   
"Hey!!" Hikaru yelped as Fuu's sword barely missed her hand and went through her boots. Everyone cringed, but Hikaru didn't show any sighns of pain.   
"You nearly sliced my hand and toe off!" Hikaru sweat dropped as the tip of the boot split apart.   
"Gomen.." Fuu looked embarressed, and Hikaru grinned. Her friend was always embarressed when such attention was drawn to her. 

"Hiya..."   
Everyone's eyes and swords snapped twords a tall, model like girl with blue hair standing slightly to the right of them. Umi, Clef realized. She was dressed similar to Hikaru and Fuu, and her hair was up in a bun.   
"What are you doing out of bed, Umi?" Ferio blinked at Umi. She had her sword in hand.   
"Coming to practice, ofcourse!" Umi grinned, flipping her sword over so she was holding it by the hilt, and pointed it's tip twords Hikaru and Fuu.   
"You shouldn't be practicing.." Lantis pointed out, but Hikaru shook her head.   
"Umi's fine.. See?" Hikaru pounced on Umi. Umi winced inwardly, but knew she had to practice or she wouldn't be any more help than before. She nodded. Presea nodded in agreement, and Ferio gave up. They regrouped, and Fuu and Hikaru went at Umi at the same time. Umi blocked and dodged their attack barely. She was much better than them due to her fencing matches here recently. Umi knocked Hikaru's sword out of her hand, but Eventually by the end of the day, Hikaru and Fuu had gotten 4 pins on Umi, and Umi had won the rest. 

--   
"Ouch... That's not fair. You're always practicing!" Hikaru whined, rubbing her head where she had ran into the tree. She was still red hot with embarressment.   
Umi gazed up at the cieling. It was true, she was always practicing... But the man had beat her so easily.   
"Guys... I can't help but wonder... How are we going to ever beat this... thing?" Umi looked down at the steaming hot water.   
Hikaru continued washing her face, and Fuu looked up thoughtfully.   
"I don't think we can..." Fuu said quietly. Hikaru nearly choked, and Umi sweat dropped.   
"Hmn? You've gotta be kidding!" Hikaru frowned.   
"... I think we're going to have to beat him another way..." Fuu continued calmly.   
"Like how?" Hikaru questioned again.   
"You know how our swords and Guardians is our main source of power? It may not be our exact power, but its what we use to channel it with..." Fuu began. The two girls nodded.   
"I get it! We'll just have to figure out what his source of power is and destroy that first. He'll still be strong, but atleast then we'll have a chance!" Umi pointed her finger, smiling happily.   
"Fuu-chan, What a great idea!" Hikaru grinned happily. Maybe there was hope afterall.   
"I'm worried though... That could take a while. I feel like every time he comes around, I'm so tired..." Umi frowned.   
"I did some research..." Fuu started, and her teammates sweat dropped, "I think I know why   
"I think he's draining our magical powers... The forces that help us use our magic, guardians, and swords.... But I also read that if you drain magical energy, you can also manage to take a good bit of physical energy with it on accident, or on purpose.."   
"So thats why it's taken so much concentration lately to use my sword!" Hikaru clapped her hands together, and Umi nodded in agreement.   
"And that's why I've been feeling so sleepy..." She added.   
--   
The prince grumbled. He had visited from the neighboring countries, and had wanted nothing more to use the restroom since he got here, but without a guide, he had gotten himself lost.   
"Finaly" he mummbled as he reached a door that was labled bathroom. He opend the door, and steam came out to meet his face. Slowly, blood ran down from his nose.   
--   
"Presea...?" Hikaru turned when she heard the door opend, and her eyes went wide in shock, and a huge sweatdrop apeared on her forhead.   
"What?" Umi and Fuu turned to see what their friend was looking at. Very similar expressions went over their faces. Umi drew in a long breath, and shrieked as loud as she could.   
---   
"What was that?" Ferio, Clef, and Presea ran from the room down the hall to where the girls were. Their visitor was standing in the doorway. Ferio, Clef, and Presea ran in the room to see water all over the floor and the girls cowering with their towels wrapped around them. All of them blinked and the men sweat dropped. Presea shook her head, and stepped to the side quietly.   
Fuu just stared in embarressment   
"_GO AWAY_" Umi threw her hand down twords them, and water from all around gathered and shot twords them in ribbons, and this time they all flew out of the room and hit the wall and ground with a thud. The door slammed shut.   
---   
Clef coughed. He looked miserable, wet, and whiplashed. Ferio and Clef both turned to glare at the prince, who still looked in shock. Clef shook his head and stood up, still coughing.   
"Well... That was just perfect..." Ferio grumbled.   
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Authors notes: Woo, Its done. This story ish moving along. ^_^ I was just gonna tell yall all, that the story writes itself.. not the other way around, so I dont really know what Im doing till it's done. So dont blame me for corni-ness O_o 


	15. The Dream, And His True Name

Authors Notes: WOO HOO! Chapter 15 is up and running! Chapter 14 was supposed to be up yesterday x.- my bad. Almost there. ^_^ Everyone seems to be liking it.. Oh, and btw... I wanted to point out that I am so happy to see people reviewing 1, 2, and three times :) Thanks to all you guys who keep reviewing, even if you have before ^_^ Maybe I'll get 5 chapters done this weekend. So be looking a couple times this weekend, or cath em all late sunday. ^.^   
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The Dream, and His True Name   
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She was in a dark place... Too dark. There wasn't anything... light, objects, not even sound. She turned when she felt something brush the back of her neck... or more like someone.   
"You don't really want to know who I am... You don't really want to fight me. You're just kidding yourself, dear child. You feel its your responsibility to Cephiro.." The voice cooed at her. She saw... _it_.. smile in a way that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.   
"You know that you're friends are just playing with you... I mean, after all... They were going to desert you and leave you behind."   
"No! My friends and I will always be together... We promised... and... We decided that it was best for us to move on." The girl closed her eyes tightly to shut out the man, but she couldn't. Her cheek was stroked gently by his hand.   
"Are you sure...?" The voice was gentle and soft. Almost friendly.   
"Hikaru-chan... Fuu-chan........"   
--   
"Clef, I'm worried... They've been like this for hours... We didn't come get you because we didn't think that it was important, but they've been coming to us alot about these nightmares. I'm frightend that there's more to it than just a simple dream, they won't wake..." Ascot frowned at Umi, who every now and again wretched around in her covers as though in pain. Hikaru and Fuu had their eyes clenched tightly, as though they didn't wish to wake up, or was denying whatever they were seeing infront of them.   
"You should have summoned me immediantly. There's nothing we can do for them now except for pray. The spell might have been weak enough to be broken if I caught it in it's early stages but now... There's no way except for them to see through it" Clef sighed, gazing down at Umi and the girls. Ascot looked down in saddness.   
--   
Hikaru sat there, she was unable to break through the mans embrace. She couldn't think straight, it was as though her whole body had ignored her, and her mental walls were slowly being crumbled.   
"Umi-ster and Fuu-ster are my best friends in the whole world!" Hikaru tried to shake away from him, but his arms were restraining her still.   
"Don't be foolish. You've seen how they joke behind you're back, They're always leaving you behind... No real friends would do that." The voice replied softly. Hikaru winced strongly and stilled in his arms.   
--   
Lantis sat beside Hikaru's bedside, stroking her cheek as he held her in his arms gently. Her fever wasn't doing any better than the other two girls'   
"Will they be.. alright?" The little girl asked. She had been summoned only two days ago and just had arrived. She was the one who had made the dresses for the girls.   
"We hope so, We surely hope so..." Presea whispered softly, stroking the girls hair, who looked at the weakend knights with fear. If they could do this to the Magic Knights... Then what could they do to Cephiro?   
--   
Fuu had already began to give in. She couldn't fight the pain anymore.   
"That's right... Dont fight for them... They wouldn't do it for you..."   
"Yes they would..." She whispered.   
"Oh? Are you sure about that?"   
"Ofcourse... They're my friends.!" Fuu retorted angrily.   
"Are they...?"   
--   
Ferio paced back and forth on the floor, while Clef just gazed sadly down upon Umi. She had already been injured badly, and he could see the obvious stress put on her mind and body. Lantis, Ferio, Caldina, and Presea also had been informed of Umi's condition.   
--   
"Stop it!" Umi yelled suddenly at the man, who seemed to jump slightly in suprise.   
...."Just because my friends sometimes make jokes, they're doing it so that we'll be able to laugh and stay happy... so that we wont be sad all the time. They have always been by my side, and they are just like my family." Hikaru's voice came from the darkness. Umi couldn't see her, but she could hear her.   
"....And we keep eachother going. We're strong together, You can't keep us apart... We believe in one another. And nothing you can say will change that..." Fuu's voice was also heard.   
"...You can't control our minds and thoughts, because we're not evil like you.. We don't think like you, we believe in our own powers... Leave- us- alone" They finished eachother's sentence. A sudden flash of light serounded them, and the darkness pealed away in a slow, brilliant flood of silver sparkling light. A huge lake, just like glass. The sun was setting, and the color of it was a glassy, yellowish pink color. They were standing on it.   
"Umi-chan?! Hikaru-chan?!" Fuu looked suprised.   
"Oy... Where are we?" Hikaru looked around... then saw them. She tackle hugged them both, causing them all to fall over. Umi smiled softly, and hugged her two friends back.   
"Glad to see you too!" Umi grinned.   
"... We did it..." Hikaru whispered softly. Umi nodded softly, her eyes falling down.   
"I'm sorry... I ever doubted you guys..." Umi said softly.   
"Everyone doubts eachother sometimes, Umi-chan... But the important thing is that we believed deep down enough to not let those feelings hurt ourselves and eachother..." Fuu smiled softly. Umi and Hikaru nodded. They blinked as voices came through the beautiful dream world. They recognized them, worried voices of Ferio, Clef, Ascot, and Lantis.   
"I bet they're so worried..." Hikaru giggled lightly at Lantis' voice.   
"We should be going back... But how..." Fuu looked down at the water, her blonde hair falling over her eyes.   
"This is our dream, remember..? We can do anything we want.." Umi held out her hands, and Fuu and Hikaru took them, forming a circle.   
"I almost hate to leave... Can't we stay asleep?" Hikaru asked. Umi shook her head.   
"That would be dangerous... We might let ourselves slip... Besides, Lantis is going to die of a stroke if you dont wake up soon. I think we've found a place we can come back to... We'll see eachother again here.." Umi smiled. Fuu nodded.   
"Well then.. I'll see you tonight?" Hikaru laughed. It felt wierd saying such a thing. They all laughed, as ribbons of light flew from the corners of the world, and light a paper being torn in half, it slowly melted away.   
"Mn." Umi's eyes opend only a fourth of the way. Her eyes were glazed over, a brighter blue than normal.   
"Umi-chan?" Clef's voice was gentle. Her eyes looked up to meet his, but she didn't move her head. Hikaru and Fuu began to stir.   
"Darent..." the name rolled off of Hikaru's tounge, she was still not completely concious. The name seemed so normal... yet it's owner was anything but normal.   
--   
Writers block is evilllll >_ And so is this blasted computer.   
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, Because it got seriously messed up around 1/4 the way through. Please review, review, and review ^_^ I'll keep writing. 


	16. The Meaning of the Dream, and the Beggin...

Authors Notes: Ah... Finaly, the Sixteenth chapter. It took me long enough! Bah... I have a new idea already. Getting on up   
there in the chapters. I seriously need encouragement though.. This is hard! ^.^''  
And Darnit, My tab key isnt working... Every time I press it, it goes back and fourth between windows isntead of spacing. _  
Evil thing!!!  
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The Meaning of the Dream, and the Beggining of a new Fight  
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Fuu laughed as Umi and Hikaru fought over one of the pillows.  
"Give it---" Umi growled, pulling hard on the pillow. Hikaru shook her head, yanking it back twords her.  
"No way--- Find another pillow" She replied.  
Fuu sweat dropped when the door opend and Presea and Clef walked in. They both blinked seeing the two girls trying their   
hardest to get the pillow away from one another.  
"Ahem..." Clef cleared his throat. Hikaru sweat dropped, noting the two's presence in the room and let go of the pillow   
completely---unfortuantly, she let go right when Umi desided to pull on it the hardest.  
"Hey!" Umi fell backwords off the bed and landed upside down, her legs still dangled on the bed and the rest of her laying   
on the floor and looking at Clef and Presea's feet.  
"Umi-chan?" Fuu looked at her worriedly.  
"Ouch..."  
--  
Umi grumbled, her head still throbbing in pain.  
"It's your own fault.. You shouldn't have been argueing over such a silly thing... "Clef shook his head at her as he mixed the   
potion. She had been much more energetic today.  
"Ah.. And if you hadn't have came in, I would have won too. What were you doing anyways?" Umi muttered as she drunk   
the potion.  
"Just going to talk to you a little bit... about your dreams you had last night... That's all." He replied uneasily.  
"Oh I see..." She gazed down. She could tell from the way his eyes were fixed on her that he wanted to know about the   
dreams. Umi gave a deep sigh, and shrugged in defeat.  
"His name is Darent, we found out... The only strange thing is... I didn't sense hardly any power. He wasn't all that strong..."   
Umi frowned in confusion at her own words and thoughts. It was true, she had hardly sense anything.  
"I see... Perhaps... He isn't as powerful as we think he is" Clef replied. His voice was grim though.  
"What do you mean?" Umi looked at him, puzzled.  
"Exactly that. Perhaps he just has a special talent... Though some people spend years and years working on such abilities as   
he has, All of his abilities are centered around one thing, and therefor it is possible that those powers of his... Are natural ones,   
and therefor.." Clef began,  
"He probably isn't as strong as we thought he was!" Umi grinned brightly and stood up, running out of the room. Clef tried   
to stop her, but it was in vain. She was long gone. He sighed. He never got to finish his sentences or thoughts anymore.  
--  
  
She yawned loudly. It was too early to be up! Hikaru ran out of the room to search for any other early birds, and ofcourse,   
the first place she looked was Lantis' room.  
"Lantis.....?" She sweat dropped. He was gone. Where could he be....? She thought to herself, turning and running from his   
room. She suddenly got an idea. The gardens.  
  
--  
"Lantis?" She ran up and down the rows of flowers. She skidded to a stop when she saw someone standing at the fountain.  
"Morning!" She chirrped happily, and he turned to face her. The grim look on his face turned into a gentle smile. She   
practicly pounced on him, hugging him tightly.  
"Mph... You look like you're more energetic this morning... " He said when she let go. To be so young, she had a death   
grip of several men put together. She nodded. She did feel alot better today.  
"Watcha doing up so early?" She asked, smiling widely. Hikaru was very happy that she wasn't the only one up.  
"Thinking, I suppose" Lantis replied.  
"About what?" She persisted.  
"Everything..." Lantis grinned when Hikaru blinked. She wouldn't win that game with him.  
"Oh.."  
"What are you doing up so early" He looked down at her.  
"Thinking"  
"About what?" He asked distantly. Hikaru knew he wasn't paying attention, and grinned.  
"Everything" She laughed at the look he gave her.  
--  
Fuu had just caught up with Ferio. He was walking around the palace and over seeing things, as usual. Clef was with him.  
"Mn.. You seen Hikaru?" She asked, muffled when Ferio hugged her. He shook his head.  
"I think she's out in the gardens with Lantis..." Clef spoke up. Fuu smiled and nodded. Hikaru had stolen her idea, but it   
seemed Ferio was busy anyways.  
"Hey!" Umi came running up to them, and Mokona was infront of her, with tears rolling out of its eyes and a sweat drop on   
its forehead. Fuu blinked at the fork Umi had in her hand. Mokona hid behind Clef.  
"Umi.. Quit torturing Mokona..." Clef frowned at her. Mokona nodded in agreement with Clef.  
"Can't help it... I had a craving for sweets and Mokona just looks so much like a marshmellow" She replied sweetly. At this,   
Mokona hid behind Clef again. Ferio chuckled at her at the creature. Umi would never actually eat Mokona... He took a   
second look at her... Then again..  
Umi's head snapped around, as did she. She glared off at the palace wall, as if in anger or concentration.  
"Umi?" Clef asked softly.  
"What was that?" Fuu replied, turning to face the same direction Umi was.  
"Not any friend of ours, that's for sure." Umi replied, frowning. It was unlike anything she had ever felt. Like it was two   
people, but she knew it was only one. The second was just pure energy, and it was the second -thing- that the first was   
drawing from, gathering its power from some invisibal well.  
"Come on!" Fuu said, grabbing Umi's hand and running down the hall twords the doors leading to the gardens. Ferio and   
Clef looked at eachother, then ran after the girls.  
"Hey, Wait!" Ferio grumbled.  
--  
Coming out of the Palace and into the gardens, You'd never imagine there was once a garden there. The whole ground had   
been leveled, and there was no plants anywhere in sight. The ground was scorched.  
"Hikaru?!" Umi looked around, before sighing in relief. Hikaru was standing infront of Lantis, a shield of fire still circling   
around them, having protected them from whatever happend.  
"Hello" Came an all too familiar voice.  
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MUHAHA! I did it, the sixteenth chaper is COMPLETED ^_^ Well, I hope you enjoy it. REVIEW REVIEW AND   
REVIEW! _  
  
  



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